How It All Began (the real one)
by PoMlovah611
Summary: Heroes are made, not born. See Skippers life from past to present, egg to adult, birdie to penguin commando! All the many adventures, mysteries and betrayals are all right here! CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE IS OUT! READ ON!
1. Chapter 1: The Chase

_**HEY GUYS... THIS IS 611 - L... YEAH... MY ACCOUNT WAS ON CODE F2... URGH!**_

_**SO I'M RE-DOING MY STORIES HERE IN POMLOVAH611... YEAH...**_

_**ER... DON'T WORRY... I WON'T RE-DO THE STORIES... JUST COPY-PASTIN' IS ALL...**_

_**THIS ISN'T PLAGIARISM, I ASSURE YOU, I AM THE SAME PERSON... **_

_**PLEASE FORGIVE ME... **_

_**Disclaimer: I ABSOLUTELY NOT OWN POM...**_

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 1: The Chase**

One night, in a cave during one of the coldest blizzards in Antarctica, an egg was born. Surrounding the egg were two penguins. One of them was a beautiful, gray-feathered female penguin and the other was a tall, muscular, flat-headed male penguin.

"That is one handsome looking egg." The male said

"It looks quite promising but it will be hard to raise an egg during a blizzard." The other commented.

"Silvia, It'll be fine. I can handle it." The male penguin said as he carefully slipped the egg under him.

"I hope so, Jon." Silvia added, "It will be long before this blizzard stops and with so many predators around, we can't move to safer ground. The egg can't survive alone you know."

Jon opened his mouth to reply but hesitated. After a few heartbeats he finally said, "Do you smell that…"

Before he could finish his sentence, out from the shadows, a big leopard seal barged into the cave, roaring in delight as it spotted its long-awaited dinner.

"RUN, SILVIA! AND TAKE THE EGG! GO THROUGH THE TUNNELS WE FOUND YESTERDAY!" Jon screamed at the top of his lungs.

"But we don't even know if it's safe! There might be…" Silvia stammered.

"IT'S NOT SAFE HERE ANYMORE!" Jon said, gently giving the egg to Silvia. "GO! RUN! RUN AWAY AND _DONT_ LOOK BACK!"

Silvia did as she was told and headed for the back of the cave, clutching the egg in her flippers. Silvia ran through the first tunnel she found which led to the shore. She got out at almost the exact moment another leopard seal swam out of the water.

Surprised by the loud growl of the seal, Silvia was forced to run faster.

Because of the loud growl, it seemed that the leopard seal was bigger than the one in the cave with Jon. She didn't _dare_ look back for she might slow down in the process. Silvia headed toward the Echoing Mountains where a secret military penguin force was located.

Jon, having learned so much in that secret agency, fought bravely against the leopard seal. But the leopard seal seemed to be trained and dodged his every move.

Soon, Jon found himself pinned down by the enormous creature, letting out a loud caterwaul before everything that can be heard was the hungry growl of the leopard seal.

Silvia struggled to keep moving. Her lungs gasping for air, her feet tired and sore, but she had to keep running for the sake of her newborn child.

At long last, she arrived at the bottom of the Echoing Mountain. She was too tired to climb but she had no choice. She began climbing rocks and boulders, hoping that the leopard seal wouldn't follow her up there. But she was wrong. The leopard seal was climbing the boulders as well!

_He must be starving to follow me up here,_ Silvia thought.

Panicking now, Silvia waddled to a tiny cave. _It's the only shelter I can find! … Well, at least my egg can survive longer than me._ She thought.

Carefully, she hid her egg inside and spun around to see what happened to the seal. It was bigger that she imagined. _I must lure it away from my egg!_ The seal was struggling to keep up, but it was growing closer and closer to Silvia.

Silvia drew away from the tiny cave and taunted, "Hey ugly! Want a piece of me?"

The creature turned away from the cave and looked at Silvia with hungry eyes and growled its triumph of finding its prey.

"Oh, I guess you do! Hehe… AAAHH HELP!" Silvia screamed. She ran forward, the blizzard blinding her sight. _Where am I?_ The thought of being lost here made her shudder. Suddenly, "OOF!" she tripped over a rock right in front of her! She turned and saw the leopard seal pulling itself nearer and nearer.

Silvia tried to get back up and running, but her trip over the rock made a sprain in her leg and she found it hard to move fast. The pain slowed her every step and soon became so unbearable that she collapsed on the icy floor. Knowing that this could be her end, with the leopard seal right in front of her, she closed her eyes tight.

Suddenly, a yowl was heard from behind her. It was a penguin! He was a young Northern Rockhopper penguin with red eyes and bushy eyebrows. He shot out from behind her and kicked the leopard seal in the chest. The seal squealed with pain and snapped its jaws in attempt to eat them.

The Rockhopper penguin grabbed the leopard seal's tail and threw it down and unconscious. Then he looked at Silvia as if he expected her to do something. "Well?" He said.

Silvia looked around as if someone had followed her. "Me?" she asked.

"Yes you. What are you waiting for?" The penguin said, giving her a look of confusion.

Suddenly the leopard seal regained its consciousness and got up. It grabbed the Rockhopper penguin and opened its mouth. The penguin got a tranquilizer gun that seemed to come from his back and shot the leopard seal. Soon, the seal was unconscious once more. For a few heartbeats, Silvia met the other penguin's gaze.

"Are you gonna introduce yourself or what?" The Rockhopper penguin asked.

"My… my… n… name is S… Silvia."

"Well, Silvia, the name's Agent Buck Rockgut. You can call me Buck. Surely you have heard about me."

"Buck? Buck Rockgut? I never…" she began. But instantly, she remembered her egg and limped toward the tiny cave.

"Where do you think you're going missy?" Buck stammered.

Silvia examined her egg carefully. There were no cracks or holes. No damage at all. She sighed with relief.

"That… your egg?" Buck asked.

Silvia nodded.

"You're hurt. You and your egg must come with me to Headquarters."

"The SMPF?"

"Aye. That's the one."

"I…I was h…heading there my…myself because…"

"Tell me in the HQ. We need to get that leg treated right away."

Buck let Silvia lean on his shoulder all the way to the SMPF HQ. "Here we are. We are safe here." He said. Silvia sat down on a boulder and let Buck examine her leg. "Doesn't seem infected or too hurt. It just needs a little cold compress." He explained while chipping off some ice from a huge ice cube. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around the sprain and ice.

"Now, young one, you were saying?" he asked Silvia.

Clutching her egg, she told Buck everything that had happened. "Really?" Buck replied, "Well, I'm sure we can check the surveillance tapes for clues… I have a feeling that…"

Suddenly, another female penguin barged into the room Buck and Silvia were staying in. "Buck! Buck! We need you to see this! It's and _emergency_!" she announced.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chapter 2: Mischeif

**THIS IS NOT PLAGIARISM, I ASSURE YOU, I AM THE SAME PERSON AS 611 - L...**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN POM... **

**How it All Began**

**Chapter 2: Mischief**

"Annabelle? What're you doing here?" Buck exclaimed.

"Please excuse my interruption, Buck." Annabelle said. "We just need you to see something impor…" she paused and stared at Silvia.

"Who's the new girl?" She asked Buck, a hint of jealousy in her tone.

"Oh, this is Silvia. Silvia, this is Annabelle. She's my mission partner."

"But now, Buck's been doing solo missions… Now if you'll excuse us, _Silvia_." Annabelle said, leading Buck out of the room.

Silvia sighed and glanced at her egg.

...

"What was so important that it couldn't wait until morning, Annabelle?" Buck questioned.

"You'll see, Buck," another penguin said. He had some white wavy hair, and a British accent.

"Nigel? I thought you were out!" Buck stammered.

"I was until I stopped by here to check something..." Nigel said, holding a teacup, "I also came back 'cause I smelled the scent of leopard seal and penguin. Those scents don't mix at all."

"Um excuse me? Emergency here?" Annabelle complained.

"Oh! Uh... yes… take a look, Buck." Nigel said turning his computer on. He opened a file that lead to the surveillance tapes.

Buck saw a leopard seal approaching a cave and heard a familiar voice. _Jon?_ He thought. Buck watched the video further until all he could hear was the triumphant growl of the leopard seal. Then suddenly, something caught his eye. A shiny, gray surface was floating in the shore near the cave.

"Is that… Blowhole?" He asked

"Blowhole?" Nigel said pushing Buck out of the way to get a closer look. "What on Earth would he be doing here?"

"Taking revenge on Jon _and_ his family I guess… It's kinda obvious you know." Annabelle stated. "Jon _is _his arch enemy." Annabelle heard a gasp from Buck as he saw the limp body of Jon being carried away by the leopard seal.

"No, no! This is not possible!" Buck exclaimed, sobbing.

Nigel looked at him with a surprised look. "Buck… are you… crying?" He asked.

"No. I'm… I'm… grieving!" Buck replied.

"I'm so sorry, Buck. He was a good friend to you." Annabelle said.

"Friend? _Friend!?_ He was _more _that a friend to me!" Buck explained.

"We will avenge him some day, Buck." Nigel stated.

"No._ I_ will. By raising his child as my own." Buck vowed. "He will be trained to be an agent right here in the Secret Military Penguin Force (SMPF) Headquarters!"

"_What?!_" Nigel exclaimed, spitting out his tea.

"But Buck, we've never trained a young very young penguin here!" Annabelle explained.

Buck waddled toward the door. "No. Not _yet_." He said.

* * *

"Silvia! I have good news and bad news." Buck announced

"Okay," Silvia replied. "Bad news first."

"Um… well… the bad news is… Jon… he… he's dead…"

Buck heard Silvia weep and quickly said the good news. "But here's the good news, you can stay here!"

Silvia looked up from her sobbing and said, "H…here? But who will take care of Co…"

"I will."

"You? But..."

"I can train him to avenge his father and to save the planet form the evil flippers of Blowhole!"

"Avenge? Blowhole? Buck, I'm so confused!"

"Jon hasn't told you yet?"

"Told me what?"

"Silvia, He has an arch enemy named Blowhole that wants to take over the world!" Buck explained, "He sent those leopard seals to kill you and Jon!"

Silvia hesitated. For several moments, she met Buck's gaze. Then finally, she came up to him and gave him the egg. "Take care of him." She whispered.

* * *

**6 years later…**

"Haha! Can't catch me!" A young penguin with a flat head shouted.

"Oh yes I can!" A younger penguin replied.

"Cody! Get down from there! You might get hurt!" Silvia called to her flat-headed son.

"But mOoom! We're having so much fun!" Cody complained.

"Silvia," Buck said. "Cody's just climbing to the top of the mountain with little Johnathan. It is definitely not a problem. It's a very good practice for both of them. Don't worry Silvia. Cody's got excellent strength and agility."

Cody jumped from rock to rock with Johnathan hot on his heels. Soon, he was the first at the top.

"Woohoo! In your face, Johnnyboy! I toldya I could reach the top first!" he said.

"You only won because you had a head start! Rematch?" Johnathan replied when he reached the top.

"Alright boys, you've had your fun. Now it's time to head back to the HQ." Silvia told the kids.

Both Johnathan and Cody obeyed and jumped down. When they reached the bottom, Buck approached Cody.

"Cody, you've got strong flippers and an agile body. You've done well today, young skipper." He said.

"You really think I can be a skipper one day, sir?" Cody asked.

"You bet your apple sauce you should! With ability like that, those cupcakes can't beat you in _anything_!" Buck said, giving him a pat on the back. "Now run along, young one."

Cody ran up to Johnathan. "Race you to the HQ?" He challenged.

"Alright!" Johnathan said, getting a head start.

Buck sighed and said, "And to think they just met!"

"Yes. Cody loves making new friends especially if they compete with him. He's so competitive." Silvia replied

When they got back to the HQ, Cody and Johnathan were already waiting in the training area. "What took you so long, you slowpokes?" Cody teased.

"I'll show _you_ who's the slowpoke! Haha!" Buck said, grabbing the little Cody and tickling him.

"Hahaha! Stop it! Haha!" Cody shrieked.

"Roar! I'm a leopard seal! Roar!" Buck played.

Cody freed himself and ran up to Johnathan. "What should we do, Johnnyboy?"

"The name's Johnathan… and I suppose we should… ATTACK!" Johnathan replied.

They both attacked the penguin-leopard seal together. "Hyyah!" Johnathan cried out. The three of them playfully tussled on the ground.

"Okay, I think Buck's had enough now, boys." Silvia said. "Johnathan, you should find your mother, Angelica and go home now."

"I'm here." A blue-ish female penguin with curled feathers said as she approached them.

"Mother!" Johnathan shouted for joy at the sight of his mother. He cuddled with his mother for a moment then told her all about the mountain climbing. "I was so good! And fast too!" He boasted.

"But not fast enough to beat me!" Cody interrupted.

"You're the one that led him up there. Right?" Angelica questioned.

"Y…yes." Cody replied, suddenly feeling guilty.

"Now, now young one, there is no need to feel guilty! I think you're a _great_ leader, Cody. But _my_ son's going to be the _brains_ of the team. He's going to study the facts of Science and Technology!" Angelica told Cody.

"Mom!" Johnathan complained. "_I_ wanted to tell him!"

Angelica smiled at him and chuckled.

"Well, I bet you cupcakes could make a great team." Buck told them. "Now Cody, why don't I prepare you for PELT?"

"PELT?!" Silvia shrieked.

"Why? What's wrong with my pelt?" Cody asked, confused.

"P-E-L-T, Cody. Physical Endurance Leadership Training. It's kind of like a test. You have to pass it to become a _true_ skipper." Johnathan explained.

Cody noticed his mother breathing heavily. "Mother? Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm *pant* *pant* fine, Cody." Silvia said. "It's just that PELT can be dangerous."

_"What's so dangerous about my pelt?" Cody asked._

"P-E-L-T Cody! Do we really have to go through this again?" Johnathan joked.

"Haha, very funny." Cody said, sarcastically. "What I meant was… What makes PELT dangerous?"

"It is a very serious program made to train leaders." Buck explained. "I recommend it! It'll toughen you up! From the softie you are to the hardest of hard."

"A _softie_!? I'll show _you_ who's the _softie_!" Cody said, and began punching Buck's side.

"Hehe… You're gonna need more than _that_ to defeat a special agent like Buck." Silvia commented.

"A _special agent_ should know how to treat younger penguin agents! A_ specialagent_ doesn't call me a _softie!_" Cody complained.

"Haha! I was kidding, you little rascal!" Buck said carrying Cody and giving him a gentle rub on the head before putting him down beside his mother.

"C'mon Cody, let's head to our room before the fish I caught gets frozen." Silvia told Cody.

"Aaw mom! Do we have to go home so early? I wanted to play with Johnathan!" Cody complained. "Can I sleep in his room? Pleeeeeeaaasse!?"

"I'm sorry, Cody but you can't. You can play again tomorrow morning." Silvia said.

"Um... Silvia, you can come and have dinner with us." Angelica said. "I have more than enough fish to go around."

Cody gasped in delight. "Mother! Can we _please_ eat dinner at Johnathan's place?_Pleeeeeeaaasse?_" he begged.

"Oh alright! We'll have dinner at Johnathan's." Silvia replied.

Cody ran up to Johnathan. "Johnathan! We're going to eat dinner at your place!" He said, walking with Johnathan to their destination.

"Really?" Johnathan replied. "That's great!"

"Now the we've got more time together, we can plan our very first mission!" Cody told him.

"A mission? Are we allowed to? Who's leading it? …I mean… It could be da…"

"Yeah, yeah whatever. We'll talk about that later. We need more privacy."

"_Privacy_? Why would we need privacy when we were allowed to…"

"Be _quiet_! Cant's you understand the sentence we need pri…"

"We're here!" Angelica stated. "I've got cods and kippers here. Who wants a kipper?"

"What's a kipper?" Cody asked.

"It's a fish that's small but very delicious." Cody answered.

"Okay," Cody smirked. "I'll have one!"

"Me too!" Johnathan said.

"Alright. Two kippers and two cods." Angelica said orally while placing the fishes into their proper bowls. After they finished their meals, Cody called Johnathan to the back of the room. "Now, we will plan our mission." Cody informed. "Our mission will be fantastic! Amazing! Out of this…"

"Yeah, yeah… what's the mission?" Johnathan asked.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	3. Chapter 3: The First Adventure

**THIS IS NOT PLAGIARISM BLA BLA...**

**Disclaimer: YOU KNOW THE DISCLAIMER!**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 3: The First Adventure**

"Um… excuse me for interrupting, Cody. But I think it would be best if we begin with something small… like… an adventure around the ice. We _are_ just beginners you know." Johnathan suggested.

Cody grunted then said, "Fine. But I'm only doing this beginner stuff for you, Johnathan."

"Cody! We're leaving! Say your good-byes now, it's time we go back to our room." Silvia called.

"Here, Johnathan." Cody said, giving Johnathan a walkie-talkie. "I'll call you up tomorrow, early in the morning. Hide this under your pillow."

"Affirmative!" Johnathan answered as he hid the walkie-talkie under his pillow. "Good-bye, Cody."

"Until tomorrow, pal." Cody stated before running outside.

Soon enough, Cody was back in his bunk thinking about the next day. Because of all the excitement and anticipation, Cody couldn't sleep. He got the walkie-talkie, pressed a button and whispered, "Johnathan? Johnathan are you there?"

At first, there was no reply, but after a few moments, a voice was heard. "Um… yes Cody. I thought you would call tomorrow morning."

"Sorry. I just can't sleep. We're you asleep?"

"I _was_ until you so _rudely_ interrupted my slumber!"

"Oh Geez! I already said sorry."

"Anyways, I have to get some rest."

It was quiet for a few heartbeats. "Johnathan? _Johnathan!_ Answer me!"

_Snore*** snore***_

"Auurrgghh!" he growled, placing the walkie-talkie back in it's hiding spot.

…

"Honey, wake up!"

Cody awoke to hear the voice of his mother. "It's breakfast time sweetie."

Cody was annoyed. He'd been asleep. He had intended to stay awake but exhaustion overwhelmed him, causing him to sleep.

"Ugh." He grunted. "Breakfast time already?"

"You've overslept, darling." Silvia replied. "Now I know how much you loved the kipper you ate last night. So I decided to catch some for you." She said, holding up a bowlful of kippers.

"That's great ma." Cody said rubbing the sleep off his eye. "What time is it?"

"It's already ten o'clock."

"_What?!_" Cody shrieked, looking at the clock on the wall.

"I trained you to wake up early and I wanted to wake you, but you looked so peaceful so I didn't."

"I… Uh… thanks for the kippers."

"No problem honey." Silvia replied, "You can go play with Johnathan after you finish your breakfast. Alright?"

"Sounds fine, ma." Cody said, eating his meal.

"But don't go too far from the HQ. Okay dear?"

"Okay ma."

As soon as Cody finished eating the kippers, he raced outside and called Johnathan in the walkie-talkie. "Johnathan, do you read me?" He asked. There was no reply. "Johnathan! Answer me!" he shouted. There was _still_ no reply. "Johnathan! Answer me _now_. That's an order, mister!"

"Um… Cody?" a voice from behind him said, "I'm right behind you… Hehe"

Cody turned around to see Johnathan giggling. Cody felt embarrassed.

"I knew that." He lied. "How come you're already here?"

"How could I _not_ be here? _You're_ the one that's _late_."

"Hehe… I kind of… overslept… but that's not important now. We're on a mission."

"_Adventure._" Johnathan corrected.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with…" Cody said. Then he noticed that Johnathan was wearing a small blue backpack. "What's with the bag?"

"Oh… uh… I just figured we'd need some stuff along the way." Johnathan explained. "Like a grappling gun, some snacks, a first aid kit… I also brought a note pad, a pencil, a map, some tranquilizer guns…"

"Waitwaitwait… what did you say?" Cody asked.

"Tranquilizer guns. We can use it to protect ourselves from…"

"No, no… before that…"

"A map?"

"Yes, that one! Give it to me!"

Johnathan gave him the map. Cody examined it from top to bottom. He noticed an empty spot in the bottom-left of the map. "That's where we're going." He stated, pointing at the empty spot.

"Cody! That's an uncharted land! There might be danger there!" Johnathan shrieked.

"Johnathan, what's the point of an adventure, if you know where you are and what you will find?"

"You have a point, but that place is so far away from here. It could take _hours_ to trek there."

"And we _do _have all day… It doesn't look _that_ far."

"You have _no_ idea how a map works, do you?"

Cody ignored him and started walking towards the East. "Um… Cody, wrong way!" Johnathan informed him. Cody stopped and turned. "I knew that!" he shouted.  
Johnathan rolled his eyes and followed, dragging his backpack in the soft snow.

…..

**2 hours later…**

"Where are we?" Cody asked his feathered friend.

"I'm not sure, but I think we're somewhere between the Polar bear's nest and the Fishing Pond." Came the reply.

Cody grabbed the map from the Johnathan's flippers. Suddenly, he felt the rumbling in his belly. "I'm starving! Where are those kippers? I'd like to eat five of them…" he said.

"Um… Cody? I only brought two kippers…" Johnathan told him. Cody face-flippered. _Why didn't I bring my own snacks?_ He asked himself silently.

"We're just a few minutes away from the Fishing Pond." Johnathan informed him. "We could fish a little."

"Okay then." Cody replied.

They both belly-slid to the Frozen pond. Cody kicked a hole in the thin ice, revealing ice-cold water and tiny creatures swimming below. "My golly that's a lot of fish!" Cody quoted at the sight of them. "Yes. That means more food for us! Now, who will jump in first?" Johnathan asked, looking at Cody expectantly.

"Woah, woah, woah! Not me! My swimming is out of practice." Cody lied.

Johnathan rolled his eyes and said, "Fine then. I'll go. But what I catch is what I eat!" then he jumped in the ice-cold water. Cody paced around the hole, waiting impatiently. After a few minutes, Johnathan appeared with two Tooth fishes and an Ice fish. Cody licked his beak at the sight of the three fresh fish. But before he could grab some, Johnathan pulled the fishes away from him. "Cody, It's your turn." Johnathan smirked, "Unless you don't want any fish."

Cody grunted then jumped into the water. As soon as he saw the fish deep down below, he began to swim deeper and deeper. As he neared them, the creatures began to look bigger and bigger. Soon, Cody realized that they weren't fish at all! They were leopard seals! Cody turned and slowly swam away. Careful not to make a noise, he hid behind a long and sharp Icicle that came from the top of the pond. He began to swim upwards, faster and faster. Suddenly, a pointy edge of the Icicle hit his side and made rather painful wound. Cody wanted to cry out in pain, but he forced himself to keep quiet and kept swimming upwards.

But the pain slowed him. Soon enough, the leopard seals started growling and looking around. _They must have smelled my blood._ Cody thought. He took a peek at the seals and panicked. They were heading straight for him! He knew hiding was useless now and swam toward the hole. He came up to find Johnathan sitting on a pile of snow near the hole.

"What did you catch?" Johnathan asked him.

"Um… nothing good…" Cody replied then winced at the pain of his wound.

Johnathan noticed it and gasped, "Oh my goodness! Cody, what happened down there?"

They were interrupted by the sound of big creatures trying to break the ice.

"I th…think you're a…about to f…find out!" Cody said, panicking again.

The ice broke open and four leopard seals barged out of the ice.

"_RUN_!" Cody shouted, belly-sliding away. Johnathan slid beside him and they both slid down the slope, not knowing where they were going.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Cody ordered.

"We never practiced any evasive maneuvers!" Johnathan said.

"Ugh! Just follow me! Let's do a serpentine!" Cody said, heading for a forest of icicles sticking out of the ground. "We can use their size against them!"

The penguin duo slid right, left, and around the icicles. The seals struggled to follow. Soon enough, two of them gave up and headed back to the pond. The other two, obviously more agile than the first two, slid past many icicles. Cody spotted a hole in the ice and shouted, "Dive, dive, dive!" They both dove into the water. The bigger leopard seal managed to break the hole, making it bigger, and dove underwater. The smaller leopard seal went in and swam faster and faster. Cody saw another hole ahead of them. He looked at Johnathan. Johnathan, seeming to know what he meant, nodded and they both jumped out of the water.

"Johnathan! Tranquilizer gun!" Cody shrieked.

"Johnathan quickly got the tranquilizer gun from his backpack and aimed at the hole, ready to shoot. For a few heartbeats, everything was silent. Then the leopard seals burst out of the hole, cracking the ice in the process. Johnathan shot them in the neck and they both became unconscious. The two penguins gave themselves a moment to catch their breath before sliding away from the unconscious seals.

They stopped at a place with many rocks. "Good shot!" Cody complimented.

Johnathan's only response was a smile.

"Ouch!" Cody shrieked at the pain of his wound.

"Johnathan reached for the first-aid kit in his bag. Once he put the medicine and the bandages on, he read the map once more. He couldn't locate where they were. They must have ran a long way from the Fishing pond.

"Cody… I think we're…. lost." He stammered.

"No… this should be our destination." Cody struggled to reply. The pain

weakening him.

"I'll check…" Johnathan said, as he looked for the sun. But a thick blanket of fog covered the sky.

"It seems that I cannot locate the sun." Johnathan stated, still looking at the sky. "But I'd guess it's about lunch time."

"I d… didn't catch any f… fish." Cody said. "I guess I… I have n…nothing to… to ea… eat."

Johnathan grabbed the Ice fish from his bag. "Here," he said, "You can have this."

Cody gave him a thankful smile before eating the fish. Johnathan ate one tooth fish then opened the map to study it again. "Too bad I didn't bring my compass." He commented. "We could have used that. Hey, why don't you take the first wa…"

He turned to see Cody asleep beside a few fish bones.

Johnathan chuckled. "Alright, Cody. I'll take first watch then." Then he sat down to take the first watch.

…

Cody blinked his eyes open. He saw Johnathan scribbling on the map. As Cody sat up, Johnathan looked up from his work, "Oh. You're finally awake."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"For about an hour or so…"

"What are you doing to the map?"

"Oh, I saw the sun a while ago. I also saw the Icicle Forest we encountered before. Presently, I am drawing the Icicle Forest here."

"Wait… Are you telling me that we discovered a small piece of land in the uncharted land?" Cody asked.

"Um… Yeah." Johnathan replied.

"Alright! Way to go, team! Hi-five!" Cody shouted, holding up a flipper.

Johnathan smiled and hi-fived his partner. Suddenly, a few growls were heard in the distance. Johnathan turned to see seven white leopard seals. "Watch out… Leopard seals at 12 o'clock." He warned Cody.

"What _is_ it with leopard seals today?" Cody complained.

"Don't worry, Cody. They're just pups. I don't even know if they smell our…" They were interrupted by the sound of sniffing and tiny growling.

"RUN!" Cody screamed, belly-sliding away. Johnathan, still holding the map, belly-slid as well. As soon as the leopard seal pups saw them, they growled in delight and slid toward them. "I can't see anything!" Cody said.

"Neither can I. We have to…"

"I see a crack in a big ice rock!" Cody interrupted, grabbing Johnathan and sliding toward it. They pushed themselves inside and stayed perfectly still. When all seven leopard seal pups slid past them, all was quiet. Cody and Johnathan began to relax. But then, all the pups turned and followed the penguin's scent to the crack. The penguins pushed themselves deeper into the crack while the leopard seal pups hit, smashed, gnawed, and pushed their way in. "Don't worry... I've got my tranquilizer gun right…" Johnathan paused and remembered that he left his bag back at the rocky place. "In my bag…" he continued, reluctantly. "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Cody screamed.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Was this my first intense cliffhanger or what? Haha…**


	4. Chapter 4: Hans the Puffin

**THIS IS NOT PLAGIARISM... I AM 611 - L**

**Disclaimer: (-_-) I don't own Pom..**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 4: Hans the Puffin**

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Cody screamed, closing his eyes tight.

Suddenly they heard a noise coming from behind the leopard seals.

The leopard seals turned and got hit in the face with a mighty kick. Johnathan moved a little forward to see their hero. It was a young puffin! The he fought as if he had fought his whole life, Cody and Johnathan watched as the seven pups surrounded him.

The pups lunged at him, while the young puffin jumped up high and landed on the heads of two pups that soon became unconscious. He then jumped in front of the crack, still facing the pups.

The five remaining leopard seals nudged the unconscious two until they regained consciousness then slid away. The puffin turned to the crack. Johnathan could see a little more of him now, he had ruffled wing feathers, and a yellow-orange and purple beak and brown eyes.

"It is da safe now, birdies!" The puffin called in a Danish accent. Cody and Johnathan squeezed out of the crack.

Johnathan got up and said, "Thank you, um…"

"Hans. You can call me Hans." The puffin said.

"Thank you Hans." Johnathan repeated.

Cody got up. "Johnathan, analysis."

"He is a Fratercula Arctica or… Puffin... His name is Hans and he just saved our life." Johnathan replied.

"It is… uh… nice to meet you penguins." Hans said, looking at Cody.

"Well, it's nice to meet you too, Hans. I'm Cody and this is my partner, Johnathan." Cody explained.

"Pahtners!?" Hans said, a look of excitement showed on his face. "Ooh! Can I be pahtners wid you too?"

Johnathan looked at Cody expectantly. Cody took a step near Hans. "Hans, we're heading back home now… and _you_ should head to _your_ home now. So…" He said.

Hans' smile turned into a frown. He was clearly disappointed. "I am lost." Hans said, "I just saw dose silly-vhilly leopard seals here trying to get into a crack, den I heard a scream from dee inside. It kind of sounded like a penguin so I came to dee rescue."

Cody huddled with Johnathan. "So, what do you think?" he asked. "We should probably let him come with us. When we get back, we can ask Buck to bring him to wherever he is from then he'll be out of our feathers forever. Plus, with him on our side on the way back, he can fight off leopard seals!" Johnathan suggested. "Sounds like a plan." Cody stated before approaching Hans again. "Okay, Hans. You can come with us. Just don't mess things up, okay?" Cody told him.

"Why yes! Of course! I don't mess things up… unless you vhant me to." Hans said. Putting a flipper around Cody. "Ooh! Zis is going to be great! Vhe're gonna be da best of friends!"

"_Friends_?" Cody exclaimed, "Woah, woah, woah! I never said anything about being frie-OOF!" Cody was stopped when Johnathan hit his stomach with his elbow.

"Well? Vhat are we waiting for? Let's get a-moving!" Hans said, walking forward. After a few minutes of belly-sliding, Hans ran up to Cody. "So, vhat were you doing in da leopard seal territory?" "Leopard seal territory?" Johnathan asked from behind them.

"Yes. You see, I vhas born here in zis Antarctica place, but mama told me dat we come from dee place called Denmark. She also told me _never_ to go to da leopard seal territory because of da stories about da penguins dat got eaten der." Hans explained. "But I am not a penguin. So vhy should I be scared? Den I waited for mama to be asleep so dat I can sneak out to da leopard seal territory and den I found you two."

The trio passed through rocks that Cody and Johnathan took refuge in. "My backpack!" Johnathan exclaimed, reaching for the small bag. He put the map inside and checked his supplies. "Ooh, do you have da fishy snacks in dat bag?" Hans asked. Johnathan nodded and threw a tooth fish at Hans. Hans jumped up and caught it with his big beak and swallowed. Then he noticed Cody's bandages. "Err… Cody, Vhat has happened to you?" He asked Cody.

"What?" Cody said, distracted. "Oh… That… Um… An Icicle just scratched me underwater. That's all."

"Oh, but you're alright now?" Hans checked.

"Yeah. It's fine now." Cody replied. "Why do you care? You're a _puffin_. And I'm a_penguin_. Totally different species. Why care for somebody very different?"

"I don't actually know why I care. I just do. And mama always says that other people are important too." Hans answered with a smile on his face.

Johnathan slid beside Cody and said, "Cody, all my supplies are complete."

Cody didn't seem to hear him. "You know, Hans, you should hang in my place sometime." He said.

"Really? Dat would be great, Cody!" Hans stated, delighted.

"Cody, all my supplies are…" Johnathan reported.

"We could play games! And have dinner together. You should try a kipper with me. It's delicious!" Cody exclaimed.

"Cody! I'm trying to…"

"That would vhonderful! Just us, palsy-walsies! Dat would be something special!" Hans replied.

"But… How about me?"

"Oh yes it will!" Cody said. "But only if she allows. In order for her to approve, I'm gonna do her…"

"**CODY**!" Johnathan shouted. Hans and Cody looked at him. "What is it, Johnathan?" Cody asked. Johnathan felt embarrassed for shouting so loud. "Never mind." He stammered.

Cody cocked his brow. "You sure you don't wanna talk about it?"

"Positive." Johnathan said.

"Okay then." Cody stated before turning to face Hans. "Anyways… I'm gonna do her a _huge_ favor. I'll…"

Johnathan didn't listen to the rest of what Cody said. He was too upset. Suddenly, he heard voices ahead. He wanted to warn Cody, but he knew he wouldn't listen.

Johnathan belly-slid ahead and followed the sound of the voices. He recognized them immediately. It was Buck Rockgut and Nigel Buckingham! He got up and waddled toward them. Johnathan noticed two _other_ penguins waddling behind them. It was his mother! And Miss Silvia! "Mother! Mother, It's me! Johnathan!" he said, waving his flippers in the air.

"Johnathan? Oh, Johnathan! I've been worried sick! Where were you?" said Angelica.

"Where's Cody?" Silvia asked.

"Over here ma." Cody stated from afar.

"Cody? Cody!" Silvia said, running towards him.

Hans stepped aside as the mother and son cuddled each other. "M… mother, this is Hans. We met him when we were… um… playing" Cody told his mother.

"Oh really? Well it's nice to meet you, Hans… the… Puffin…" Silvia greeted, shaking Hans' flipper.

"It is nice to meet you too." Hans said.

"Well, I'm glad the search is over then," Nigel said, crossing his flippers. "We've been looking all over for you folks ever since the lunch time bell rang."

"We were a bit confused. If you cupcakes stayed near the HQ, then you would have heard the bell." Buck stated.

Cody and Johnson exchanged a look and smiled at their mothers. "Um… I guess we were having so much fun that we didn't hear anything else. Right, Johnathan?" Cody said, still grinning.

"Yes… Precisely! So… much… fun…" Johnathan stated.

Silvia cocked her brow. "Okay then… I know that we should be heading to our homes now. But, Angelica, the dinner you gave us was _so_ delicious that I _had _to return the favor. I'm inviting you and Johnathan to dinner tonight. You too, Buck, Nigel. Nigel, you can invite your sister, Eloise. I'm sure we will have a delightful time." Silvia glanced at Hans. He was sitting on a snow pile, sighing. "You too, Hans. I had enough time to catch _more_ than enough fish." She told him. Hans' face lit up with happiness. Silvia smiled at him before turning back to the others.

"Well, _that_ sounds like a good meal." Buck said, rubbing his belly.

"Yes. I'm coming. And I'm bringing Eloise." Nigel announced.

"I guess we'll get that bonding time after all, Hans." Cody told Hans.

"Hooray for palsy-walsies!" Hans said, hugging Cody.

Johnathan sighed and frowned. Then he started thinking. _Cody won't listen to me anymore… Wait a minute… am I… jealous? No… I'm not… wait… I think I _am_jealous. Well, I'll take care of this now. I'll just ask him to let me join their bonding. I won't wait like a stubborn brat._ He thought.

Johnathan approached Cody and Hans. "Cody?" he said. "Yes, Johnathan?" Cody replied.

"Can…. Can I join your b…bonding?" Johnathan asked him. "Sure. What do you think, Hans?" Cody asked his partner. "I guess it is alright. Vhe could use another game playah, right, Cody?" Hans stated. "Affirmative!" Cody answered. Johnathan smiled at them.

…

Soon, they were in Cody's big room, which was his home. Nigel had left to fetch his sister while Buck came with them. "Follow me, Hans! I've got something to show ya!" Cody shrieked, running with Hans to his bedroom. Johnathan followed slowly so he was able to hear Silvia's conversation with Buck.

"I don't think they're ready, Buck. They're still little kids!" Silvia whined.

"Kids that grow, Silvia. Those cupcakes went all the way to the Puffin Place! Don't you think they're fit enough? We can even start with those beginner stuff like some simple Flipkwando moves. No dangerous missions."

"Alright then. If you're sure, I'll talk to them."

"Oh, I _am _sure. Those cupcakes make a great team."

Johnathan hurried to tell Cody about what he just heard. When he got in the bedroom, Cody approached him and said, "Hey, Johnnyboy, can we borrow the map?"

"It's Johnathan… and… what for?" he asked.

"Hans would like to see it. Don't ask me. I have no idea why." Cody explained.

Johnathan got the map from his bag and placed it on a table near Hans. Hans tapped his beak while examining the map. Then finally, he said, "My flight must be…" They were interrupted by a knock in the door. "Cody, may I come in?" a voice said.

"Sure ma." Cody called.

Silvia stepped in the room and motioned the kids to sit with her in the bed. When all the kids sat down, she said, "Cody, I know what you did a while ago."

Cody blushed. "You do?" he asked.

Silvia nodded and turned to Johnathan. "You two went far away from the HQ, didn't you?"

"Yes… we're sorry." Johnathan replied.

"We're sorry we went to the leopard seal territories." Cody said.

"The _leopard seal_ territories? That was not what I thought. I thought you went to the Puffin Place. I f…figured that's where you met Hans." Silvia said, frustrated. "But since you went to the leopard seal territories, I am very surprised. Why did you go there?"

"Dey did not know about da leopard seal territories." Hans tried to explain.

"Yes, Hans is right. We figured it was just an uncharted land." Cody stated.

"Hans, how did _you_ get to the leopard seal territories?" Silvia asked Hans.

"I… I snuck out of my home and found dem cornered by some leopard seal pups." Hans said.

"_Cornered_!?" Silvia exclaimed. "What happened next?"

"Hans came and saved us!" Cody answered.

"_Saved _you? How?"

"He attacked them! He was magnificent!" Johnathan complimented.

Hans blushed. "It was nothing really." He said.

Silvia stood up and faced the three boys. "You disobeyed me. I told you to stay near the HQ, Cody. And Johnathan, I thought you knew better than to rush off into danger like that!"

"But Miss Silvia, I tried to…" Johnathan interrupted.

"Shush! No excuses. Since _both _you went to the leopard seal territories, you will_both_ share in the punishment."

Johnathan and Cody looked at their feet.

"You will spend the _whole_ tomorrow…"

They braced themselves.

"…Training with Buck Rockgut"

The two boys looked up and exchanged a look of confusion. "Huh?" they said in chorus.

"That's what I said. Training. You both showed great courage and you need to exercise that." Silvia said, then turned to Hans. "And as for you, Hans, you need to get back home tomorrow morning. Okay?"

"Okay." Hans replied.

"We're here!" Nigel called from the outside.

"Nigel's here! C'mon kids, it is now time for dinner." Silvia reported.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	5. Chapter 5: Going Home

**NOT PLAGIARISM**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT CLAIM PoM AS MY OWN...**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 5: Going home**

All the kids ran toward the dining table. Johnathan sat between his mother and Hans, who sat beside Cody. A gorgeous female penguin with her brown hair in pigtails took the seat beside Cody. "Good evening young chap, you must be Cody, the penguin my brothah won't shut up about." She said in a kind, British accent. Cody looked at her, confused.

"Oh, I beg yoh pahdon, my name is Eloise. You must already know my brothah, Nigel." She told him, pointing at the handsome penguin with wavy hair.

"You sure you're related? You don't look…"

"Alike? You can say that. Some say that I look very much like my mothah and Nigel like my fathah. Which is true."

"Why don't I see you around the HQ lately?"

"My brothah doesn't let me become an agent in the SMPF. He thinks I'm too soft on othah people and I'm too guhly for a fight." She replied, cocking her brow at Nigel, who chuckled.

Cody silently agreed with Nigel. She _did_ speak in a girly way and her movements were all soft and delicate.

"Dinner's ready!" Silvia called out, and everyone turned their attention to the food she was holding. She gave kippers to the young ones, and Ice fishes to the adults.

As Cody was eating, Eloise leaned on his chair. "You seem to be eating very quickly. Are yah late for something? She asked suspiciously. "No…" Cody said between bites. "I just _love_ Kippers."

"Oh really? You know, I have a story about…"

"Eloise! Don't soften the boy with yoh silly stories! Save those for the penguins that actually _want _to be soft." Nigel said aloud. Everyone giggled at the obvious joke. "It's a good thing I'm the oldah brothah, or I'll be softened by yoh _guhly_stories!" he joked.

Eloise turned to face him. "You watch yoh mouth, brothah. I'm not as soft as you might think." She growled in a rather harsh tone.

Cody noticed Nigel flinch away from her. There was something in Nigel's eyes that told him something was absolutely wrong.

Cody tilted his head to try to see Eloise's face, but when she turned around, she looked calm again. _Weird…_ he thought.

When Cody finished his meal, everyone was getting ready to go back to their rooms. Cody walked up to Johnathan and Hans. "Johnathan, Hans… Did you notice anything strange about Eloise?" he asked them.

"No." Johnathan said. "Not a thing." Hans replied.

"C'mon… you _must _have noticed something strange, right? There was something in Nigel's look when she confronted him that tells me that something was wrong. Didn't you notice that?" Cody reasoned.

Johnathan yawned. "Cody, I know that I said I needed to get some rest last night. I didn't mean it. Now, I _do_. We _really_ need some energy in order to cope with the training we have with Buck tomorrow."

Cody sighed and said, "Whatever! Hans and I will solve this weird mystery. Right, Hans?"

"Actually, I kinda agree wid da Johnny penguin here. I _am_ tired…" Hans said. "But… we can talk about it tomorrow."

"Precisely… and… Don't call me Johnny..." Johnathan commented.

Cody grunted. "Fine. But at least Hans is sleeping with me." He said.

"Johnny! It's time to go!" Angelica called him.

Johnathan blushed when Hans and Cody giggled. "Mother! Don't call me Johnny." He told her, rushing toward the door.

"Bye, _Johnny_! Haha!" Cody teased.

"Bye…" Johnathan called; clearly annoyed by the name he called him.

* * *

**The next day…**

"Better… But try to kick higher." Buck instructed.

Cody aimed for the head of the dummy and kicked. But he didn't reach it.

"Hmm… Try stepping backwards and jumping before kicking. It always helps _me_kick higher." Buck suggested.

Cody nodded and stepped backward, ran, then jumped before kicking and successfully hit the head of the dummy. He turned to see Buck clapping his flippers in approval. "That was wonderful, Cody. Johnathan! You're up next." He said, taking down notes.

Cody stepped out of the mat and let Johnathan take his place.

"Sh… should I do the same as what Cody did?" Johnathan asked shyly.

"Knock yourself out, Cupcake." Buck told him.

Johnathan took out a notebook and scribbled on it for a few heartbeats then stepped 9 steps backward, did a fighting position, then ran, rolled, then jumped high, flipping in the process then kicked the dummy in the right side of its head, making it fall flat on the floor. He fell back down on his feet and returned to a fighting position.

"Very impressive, Johnathan." Buck complimented. "That would do well with an attacking enemy. Not bad for a cupcake." He said, writing on his paper.

Johnathan held his head high and smirked at Cody.

"Hmph. Beginner's luck." Cody snorted.

They were interrupted by the sound of an opening door. It was Silvia. "Hi ma." Cody said, smiling at her.

"Boys, I need you two to come with me…" Silvia started.

"Woah, woah, woah! You can't take the boys _now_! Not in the middle of _training_!" Buck reasoned.

"Buck, you promised you would go with us back to the Puffin place."

"Yes, but I didn't promise to let the boys come."

"And risk what? Leaving them here, with strangers? When Blowhole can just kidnap them?"

I think it's better if they stay with us… with me."

For a few heartbeats, Buck stared into Silvia's eyes.

"You know that's what Jon would've wanted." Silvia told him.

Buck ducked his head and sighed. "Cody, Johnathan, you cupcakes are coming with us." He called.

"_What_? And miss training?" Cody shrieked.

"We'll have _much_ better training along the way…" Buck explained.

"Along the way to _where_ exactly?" Johnathan asked.

Hans stepped in the room and said, "My home."

"We're sending Hans home, **NOW**." Silvia said, heading for the door.

Hans sighed, "I am going to miss you."

"Save your goodbyes, pal. We're going with you." Cody told him.

"So I heard." Hans smirked, "One last adventure before we part ways as penguin and puffin, right?"

"Yeah, At least _that_ part will be fun." Cody noticed.

"Cody, I packed all our adventure stuff _and _my pocket abacus in my backpack." Johnathan reported.

"Good." Cody said.

"Alright. Let's get moving!" Buck ordered.

After a few hours of trekking, Buck said, "Stay frosty. We are now entering leopard seal territories."

Hans seemed confident. "Hans, how come you're so confident around here?" Johnathan asked him.

"Because I am not a penguin. And if dey threaten to eat me, I can just fight dem" He replied.

"Oh yeah! Hans, I've wanted to ask you… How did you know all those fighting moves when you didn't train in the SMPF?" Cody asked.

Hans chuckled, "I'm surprised you don't know. There is anoder SMPF place near ze Puffin Place. I just watched ze training penguins and I learned."

"But how could you find time to watch them? I hear you Puffins have flying lessons." Buck exclaimed.

"I… uh… skipped all ze lessons. I was more interested in fighting dan flying."

"If you didn't participate in the flying lessons, how will you fly back to Denmark?" Silvia asked.

"I do not know, okay?!" Hans shrieked.

Suddenly, a voice was heard from ahead of them. "Aah! Help me!" It said.

"Let's move!" Buck shouted, and everyone slid toward the sound. Everyone except Hans, who ran instead. They saw an injured, chubby penguin with ruffled head-feathers running for his life with seven leopard seal pups sliding after him.

"Those are ze leopard seals dat cornered Cody and Johnathan!" Hans panted.

Johnathan got the abacus from his bag and pushed the beads around, then kept it, made a snowball and threw it at the leader of the pack. It growled and turned toward them, the smaller pups racing behind it.

"Good show, boy! Now, you three keep it away from us. Silvia and I will go to the young penguin in need." Buck informed.

Cody nodded his head, and took the lead. He headed away from the injured penguin, with Hans, Johnathan _and _the pups right behind him.

Silvia noticed that Johnathan had left his bag. She searched for a first aid-kit and brought it to the injured penguin. "What is your name, young one?" She asked him.

"M… Man… Manfred." He answered.

"Alright, Manfred, I am Buck Rockgut and this is Miss Silvia Scott. We are here to help you." Buck told Manfred.

Manfred flinched when Silvia dabbed a cotton ball on his bruises. "Ouch!" He shrieked.

Buck watched Cody, Johnathan, and Hans working together.

Hans faced the leopard seal pups in a fighting position. Cody and Johnathan did the same and jumped behind the seals. Distracted, three seals got hit in the chest by Hans' furious kick, and yelped in pain. Cody hopped into the large one's back and held on. The leopard seal tried to shake him off, but Cody didn't let go.

"Hit the back of its neck!" he heard Buck shout. And he did. Using his right flipper, he karate-chopped its neck and it fell unconscious on the snowy ground.

Cody was about to jump off when he was stopped by Silvia saying, "DON'T!" She was holding a tranquilizer gun and pointing it at the other six pups.

The remaining seals growled before sliding away.

"Why do we need _this_ leopard seal?" Cody asked.

"I figured we could ask it questions…" Buck explained.

"Questions? For leopard seals?" Johnathan cocked his brow.

"All leopard seals talk, cupcake. I don't think it was just a coincidence that the same litter of pups that chased you came running to another HQ. Maybe this one is one of Dr. Blowhole's minions." Buck replied.

"Dr. Blowhole? I read about him in the enemy files. He's a dolphin that wants to rule both land _and_ sea, right?" Cody guessed.

Silvia gulped. "Did you read… _all _of it?" she asked.

"I skimmed it." Cody said.

Silvia sighed in relief. Then turned to Manfred. "Is the secret base far from here?"

"Nope… I was just sent here to put the fish bones away when those leopard seals attacked me." He said. "Follow me."

Buck waddled up to Cody, "I'll tell you a little somethin' 'bout this place, cupcake. It's even more secretive than ours! Because it's underground!" He said.

"We're here!" Manfred announced.

Hans looked around. "All I can see are rocks and snow! Vhere is zis secret base?" He asked.

Manfred chuckled and kicked a rock just in front of him. Then a wide elevator shot out of the snow. "AH! Vhat is dat?" Hans screamed.

"It's an elevator! C'mon! Let's get in!" Cody said, running for the elevator.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	6. Chapter 6: The Tragedy

**THIS WILL NEVER BE PLAGIARISM..**

**Disclaimer: ... Yup... still disclaiming... *sigh***

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 6: The Tragedy**

Cody jumped out of the elevator. Manfred followed him and said, "Welcome the SMPFPPBHQ…"

Cody stopped walking and looked at Manfred. "What's with all the letters?" he asked.

"I believe SMPFPPBHQ means Secret Military Penguin Force Puffin Place Branch Headquarters, Cody." Johnathan told him.

"You are most certainly correct, little juvenile." A tall king penguin with dark orange cheeks, white belly and pale grey back-feathers said, looking at Johnathan with curious black eyes.

"Chris!" Buck exclaimed with a happy expression on his face.

"Buck! Why are you here?" Chris asked, a surprised look in his face.

"Kids, this is Chris Anderson. A good friend of mine." Buck introduced.

Johnathan eyed the King penguin. Chris chuckled then turned to Buck, "This yours?" he asked.

"Huh?" Buck said, lost in thought.

"This _your_ kid?" Chris repeated.

"_No!_ Why on Earth would you think that?" Buck shrieked.

Chris scratched the back of his head. "Sorry… Great… Now I feel like a jerk."

Silvia approached them and cleared her throat. Chris noticed her and said, "Oh! And who are you, miss?"

Silvia chuckled. "I'm Silvia. And you must be Chris." She said.

"Chris, we're just here to take Manfred back to his parents…" Buck explained.

"_Paren__**t**_." Chris corrected

"Parent?" Silvia stammered, "What happened to…"

"Brooklyn died two weeks ago. We don't really want to talk about it."

Meanwhile, Cody, Johnathan, Hans and Manfred were getting to know each other."So… Manfred, huh?" Cody said.

"Yes. My mother…" Manfred trailed off.

"Yes?" Hans urged him.

"My mother was named Brooklyn." Manfred said, "She had beautiful blonde hair, and these gorgeous green eyes that…"

"_Was?_" Cody cocked his brow

Manfred looked at his feet, "We don't really talk about it. And I don't want to…"

"Cody! Kids? Can you come here please?" they heard Silvia call. Then they ran toward her. "Boys, I know that we came here to bring Hans home, but Chris was kind enough to give us a tour of this HQ that I couldn't refuse." She said.

"It is alright, Miss Silvia! I think my family can wait." Hans quoted.

"Silvia!" Chris shouted, "Our tour will start…" the elevator dinging interrupted him. Out of it came Annabelle!

"Annabelle? What… Why… When… How…" Buck stammered.

Annabelle giggled. "Can't I just follow my partner around without being questioned?"

"How did you get here? How did you find me?" Buck asked her.

"I followed you. I just saw you leaving and I was curious. Why didn't you tell me you were going to the Puffin Place Branch?" She said, putting her flippers on her waist.

Buck opened his mouth to reply, but Silvia interrupted. "Annabelle, we were_actually_ going the Puffin Place to return Hans to his family, but we had to stop by here for a while." She told her. Annabelle rolled her eyes. "Of course." She said.

Chris cleared his throat and led the penguins into a room. "Our tour starts here." He informed them.

"_Psst!_" Cody heard someone calling to him. It was Manfred. "Come with me!" he whispered.

Cody waddled over to him with Hans and Johnathan behind him.

"You want to go to the Puffin Place right?" said Manfred.

"Yes! Dat's vhere I come from." Hans exclaimed.

"Well, I can show you the place. It's not far from here." Manfred told them.

"Really? Well, what are we waiting for?" Johnathan commented.

The four of them waddled into a second elevator. Manfred pushed a button and the elevator darted upwards. Soon, the elevator door opened and revealed a snowy landscape.

"Is this the Puffin Place? It doesn't look ideal for Puffins." Johnathan said.

"No. This isn't the Puffin Place. We have to slide to get there." Manfred chuckled.

"Um… excuse me? _Slide? _I am a Puffin. I don't slide." Hans said, crossing his flippers.

"Then let's teach you to slide!" Cody said, looking around. He saw lots of slopes that lead to different places. "Which one?" Cody asked Manfred.

"The one in the left, but this other one should lead us…" Manfred replied.

Without thinking, Cody pushed Hans on his belly and pushed him in the slope then slid behind him, leaving Manfred and Johnathan.

"AAAAH!" Hans screamed, trying to get off his belly.

"Just slide! Relax! Let your feathers brush the ground!" Cody shouted.

"I _cannot_ relax! AAAHHH!"

Cody rolled his eyes and slid in front of Hans. "Just follow me." He grunted.

Cody followed a track that he thought was the way to the Puffin Place. "Keep your wings in your side. Stop flapping!" he advised.

"But I am a Puffin! It is my…"

"KEEP YOUR WINGS IN YOUR SIDE!" Cody ordered.

The Puffin whimpered and folded his wings. Suddenly he became faster. "WOOHOO!" he shrieked as he bumped Cody out of the way. "Haha!" he laughed.

Cody cocked his brow. "Oh, It's gonna be like _that_ now, huh? Well, two can play at_that_ game." He said, sliding faster and faster toward the Puffin. The path led to a narrow tunnel that twisted and turned. The Puffin struggled to keep his wings aside and used his feet to push himself ahead.

_Clever tactic_. Cody thought, copying him. Soon, he swirled in the celling, on top of Hans, and in front of him. Then the tunnel ended and they flew out of it, pummeling into a pile of grass and snow.

Hans and Cody ended up giggling while shaking the dirt out of their feathers.

They looked up to see Johnathan and Manfred looking down on them. "Had fun?" Johnathan smirked.

Cody's eyes widened. "H…how did you get here so fast?" he asked.

"You didn't hear the rest of my sentence. I was telling you about a shortcut which is what Johnathan and I took." Manfred explained.

"So… we are h… here now?" Hans said, reluctantly.

"I'm afraid so. And I have bad news." Johnathan frowned.

Hans immediately got up, expecting his mother to come flying toward him to give him a cuddle. But she didn't. He looked around and saw an empty place with grass, snow and seashore.

"V…vhere is…" Hans said, holding back tears.

Manfred pointed to a flight of Puffins flying far, far away. Hans tried to run after them, flapping his wings rapidly. "NO! MAMA! VHAIT! COME BACK! COME… back…" Hans said, bursting into tears and falling on his knees. "Come back…" He muttered under his breath.

Hans felt a flipper on his shoulder. He looked up to see Skipper. "I'm so sorry…" He said. Hans hung his head in grief. Then got back up and pinned Cody to the ground. "Teach me to fly!" He shrieked. "**TEACH ME TO FLY!**"

"I… I can't! Just… **GET OFF ME!**" Cody begged him.

Manfred and Johnathan pulled Hans off Cody and restrained him. "Hans… We're penguins! We can't fly. Hence, we can't _teach_ you to fly." Johnathan explained.

Hans struggled free from their grip and sat on a rock near the seashore, sobbing. "Gosh, I wish I could help you, Hans." Manfred said.

But Hans didn't seem to hear him. He was too busy muttering, "Why did zis have to happen? Why did dey leave me?"

Hans tried to stand up, but fell instead. Cody and Manfred caught him just before he hit the ground. Suddenly, Hans didn't feel well. His vision became blurry, he groaned and soon blacked-out.

* * *

Hans groaned. He opened his eyes to see Cody looking down on him with worry. Cody's eyes lit up when he saw Hans awake. "You're awake!" Cody exclaimed.

Hans sat up and looked around then realized that he wasn't in the Puffin Place anymore.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"You're in the clinic, young one." A female penguin with a stethoscope around her neck said.

"Who ah you? Vhat am I doing here?" Hans panicked.

"Don't panic. My name isn't important right now. But you can call me Doc. You're here because you blacked out in the Puffin Place a while ago. Lucky for you, you had friends that brought you here right away." Doc said, pointing at Cody, Johnathan, and Manfred.

Hans got up from his bed but ended up being dizzy and falling on the ground. Doc carried Hans back up the bed. "Easy now." Doc told him. "You've had quite a shock. Just stay in bed and you'll be all right. I already called Silvia and told her that you're here."

Then they heard the doorbell ring. **DINGDONG**

"Oh! That must be her." Doc guessed, opening the door.

When Doc opened the door, Silvia came running in, hugging Cody and Johnathan. "Oh boys! Where have you been? You two should stop running away from me. We've been looking _everywhere_ for you! What happened to Hans?" She asked.

Johnathan glanced at Hans, who was sobbing on the bed. "He has lost much." He simply said.

Buck, Annabelle, and Chris walked in the room and saw Silvia walking towards Hans, "I'm so, so sorry. Doc told me everything. I wish I could help you." She said, stroking Hans' feathers.

"Vhy did dey leave widout me? Vhy did I skip all ze flying lessons?" Hans muttered.

"Hans, I have no idea why they left without you, but if you didn't skip those flying lessons, Cody and Johnathan would have been leopard seal food." Silvia smiled, still stroking Hans.

"What happened here?" Buck exclaimed.

"Hans' Puffin friends and family… left without him… sir…" Manfred replied

Buck ducked his head while Chris gasped. "What a shame." Buck said.

"Don't worry, Hans. I'll take care of you…" Silvia comforted.

Hans looked up at her. "Does dat mean I am not alone anymoh?" he asked

"Nope! You've got me and Silvia… and the whole SMPF!" Cody shouted.

"Affirmative. Hans, consider yourself an honorary penguin! And we all know the penguin credo, and it's never swim alone." Buck smiled. Chris nodded his head in approval.

Doc cleared her throat and said, "I guess Hans is alright now. He can…"

"Train with us." Buck finished her sentence.

"Th… that's not what I wanted to say…" Doc said, putting her flipper on her hip.

"No, Doc. Hans is training with Cody and Johnathan." Buck said, staring into Doc's eyes.

"Fine. Consult me if he needs any medical attention. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to attend to another patient of mine." She informed, walking out the door.

"Well, I'm glad all the drama is over." Chris commented.

"Yes. Um… Chris? Do you have a training area here in the Puffin Place Branch?" Buck said aloud. Hans, Johnathan and Cody all gasped in delight.

"Why, yes! Yes we do! That was actually the next stop in our tour. Follow me!" Chris said, heading out.

Hans jumped out of the bed and followed.

Soon, they got to the training area. It was bigger than the one in the Echoing Mountains Campus! "WHOAH! IT'S SO… BIG!" Cody exclaimed.

"Ginormous!" Johnathan added.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! It's big… Let's train!" Buck said, rolling out a dark blue mat on the floor. Cody dragged the dummy he found onto the mat. "I found the dummy!" He announced.

"Haha, I'm afraid we don't need a dummy for _this _training." Buck laughed.

Johnathan cocked his brow and said, "B…but Hans is a beginner! He needs to…"

"Hey! Who said I was a beginnah? I am ze one dat saved your life, aren't I?" Hans protested.

"That's right, cupcakes! We're doing _another_ kind of training. _Combat_ training to be exact…." Buck said, proudly.

"_COMBAT _TRAINING?!" the three kids exclaimed.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	7. Chapter 7: The Capture

**THIS IS NOT A SIGN OF PLAGIARISM...**

**Disclaimer: ... YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID BEFORE...**

**How It All Began  
Chapter 7: The Capture**

"Okay… Cody! You'll be fightin' Johnathan. Use the moves I taught you. You can wing it if you want… Winner takes Hans as opponent next." Buck said.

Cody and Johnathan stepped on the mat and bowed. Suddenly, Cody felt a hard kick on his side and he fell. He got up quickly and stared into Johnathan's eyes. Then Johnathan aimed another kick on his head, but Cody ducked and kicked Johnathan's feet, causing him to fall flat on his belly. Cody immediately pinned him down but Johnathan had another trick up his sleeve. He rolled on his back and kicked Cody off him. Cody grunted as he hit the floor, but quickly recovered. He wasn't gonna let Buck see him lose.

Cody ran toward Johnathan and pretended to aim a blow on his feet. Johnathan jumped but Cody landed a successful punch on his chest, which unbalanced him and he fell on the floor. Johnathan got up and noticed that Cody was leaning more on his right foot than his left. So, he dashed toward Cody's left side and punched him. But Cody was prepared and ducked, landing a painful uppercut on Johnathan. Johnathan stepped backwards then ran towards Cody, who was facing Buck. Johnathan was just about to land a punch on his back, but Cody jumped and back flipped over Johnathan and punched _his_ back instead. Johnathan lost his balance and fell right in front of Buck. Johnathan looked up and blushed, suddenly embarrassed.

"Cody's the winner!" Buck announced, raising Cody's flipper up high.

Johnathan ducked his head and walked toward the bench, where Manfred was... Buck approached him and put his flipper on Johnathan's shoulder. "There there now, Johnathan. No need to feel that way. You did a good job with the tactics and all… You definitely are good in thinking. Your mother will be proud." Buck told him.  
Johnathan looked up and smiled before sitting down to watch Hans and Cody fight. Cody actually won. He pinned Hans' wings down, Hans couldn't escape it, so he gave up. Buck was very impressed at Cody's progress.

Hans didn't take the defeat as something to regret. He even laughed with Cody at the thought of it. Buck could see a strong friendship being made between Cody and Hans. Johnathan shyly smiled at the two from the bench. Cody and Hans sat beside Johnathan.

"That was quite a fight, right Johnathan?" Cody said.  
"Uh… Yeah." Johnathan replied.  
"Do you remember ze time Cody kicked my beak? Dat was painful. Ha-ha!" Hans quoted.  
"I bet it wasn't more painful than the time Hans punched my belly! Hahah!" Cody laughed.  
Johnathan chuckled. "So… what should we do now?"  
"I'd guess it's lunch time now." Cody informed, "Buck told us to find Silvia and eat lunch with her."  
"Oh. Lunch…" Johnathan said, suddenly feeling the rumble in his belly.  
Hans got up and said, "Well? Vhat are we waiting for? Let's eat LUNCH!"

When we got to the dining room, It was full of penguins they didn't know, but Manfred seemed comfortable around these penguins and greeted them happily. When they found the table Silvia, Annabelle and Chris were sitting at, they sat beside each other and ate their lunch hungrily.

"Hello, Manfred, Hans, Cody and Johnathan. How was training?" Annabelle asked them.

"Oh… Good… it was… good…" Johnathan said while eating.

"Buck said he was proud of me! I beat Johnathan _and_ Hans in combat training!" Cody announced proudly. Johnathan's eyes widened at the sound of his name, and he stared at his food in embarrasment.

Silvia chuckled. "So… Boys… We're going back to the Echoing Mountains after this. Buck and I will take a shortcut with Chris. Would you like to join us, or slide in the slopes?" She asked.

Cody and Hans exchanged an excited glance. "I think they'd like to slide." Manfred said. "Well, Annabelle will make sure you get to the place. She'll slide with you." Chris told them, glancing at Annabelle, who rolled her eyes.

Once they finished their meals, Cody, Hans, Johnathan, Manfred, and Annabelle headed toward the slopes.

"Which slope _now_?" Cody asked.

"Um… let me check…" Manfred said, eyeing the slopes. "That one!" he exclaimed, pointing at a slope right infront of Hans. Hans smirked at Cody. "Race ya?" he challenged. "You're on!" Cody shrieked, pushing Hans out of the way and sliding down the slope.

When the five of them got to the Echoing Mountains, Buck, Silvia and Chris were already there, saying their goodbyes to Chris.

"Goodbye, Chris. Thanks for everything!" Silvia said.

"Yes. But I'll visit some time." Said Chris.

Manfred didn't want to go back to the Puffin Place again. So he approached Chris and said, "Can't we stay? For a few days atleast?"

Chris looked uncertain and glanced at Silvia and Buck. Then he sighed. "Sorry old bean. We can't. William will be so worried. We have to get you back home. But don't worry, Manfred. We'll visit regularly."

Manfred ducked his head and walked to Cody. "Bye guys. I had fun." He said.

"Yeah. Me too!" Hans exclaimed.

"You _will _come back, right?" Johnathan asked.

Manfred nodded then went with Chris, waving his flippers goodbye before dissapearing in the tunnel.

* * *

"Cody! Manfredi's back again!" Silvia called.

"He's back already? And ma, nobody calls me Cody anymore ever since I graduated last month." The teenage flat-headed penguin said.

Silvia chuckled. "Cody. I'm your mother. Am I not an ecception?"

Cody rolled his eyes. "Fine. But around other people, please call me Skipper."

Silvia nodded and watched Skipper jump out of the room. "Oh! And, Cody, you should see Eloise. She's gonna have an egg in a few weeks." Silvia reminded him. "Yeah, sure ma. I'lll visit her in my spare time." Skipper said before running toward the main room where he would see his old friend again. "Manfred!" Skipper shouted, hugging the younger penguin. "Um… Cody, It's Manfredi now. Mama changed my nickname…" Manfredi said smirking. "Okay _Manfredi_, this is the third time you visited this week!" Skipper shrieked.

Suddenly, a teenage Puffin walked in the room with an excited look on his face. "Manfredi! Good ta see ya!" the Puffin said.

"Hey Hans! H…how did you know about…"

"Yoh mama has a birdbook (kind of like Facebook) … she shared it." Hans told him.

Manfredi blushed. "Yeah… Where's Johnathan?"

"You mean Johnson? Oh, he's coming I guess…" Skipper said, glancing at the door.

Out came a tall penguin with messy feathers. "Hey guys! Sorry I kept you waiting!" He said, panting.

"Johnathan!" Manfredi exclaimed.

"_Johnson_" Johnson corrected.

"It's so good to see you again!" said Manfredi.

"Yeah… for the third time of the week." Johnson reminded him.

"What's wrong with coming regularly?" Manfredi said, cocking his brow.

"Nothing… Anyways, let's take a walk around. Outside maybe?" Johnson suggested.

"Sure. Let's go now!" Skipper said, rushing out the door.

A few minutes later, the four friends decided to hang out in the edge of the sea to watch the sunset. Skipper yawned. "Ugh! I hate waiting for the sun!"

"Haha! You _always_ hate da waiting, Skippah." Hans giggled.

Johnathan, who was very patient most of the time actually started to be impatient._Maybe a short walk will make the time seem faster._ He thought. "Guys, I'm going for a walk. Is anyone coming with me?" he asked.

"Me!" Skipper shrieked, standing up.

"Wait, Skipper! I have to ask you something. Nothing serious though…" Manfredi called.

"Ugh… fine… You go ahead Johnson, I'll just catch up." Skipper told Johnson, who started walking to who-knows-where.

While walking, Johnson hummed and kicked ice rocks for fun. Then he smelled a weird tangy scent. But before he could turn around, a rope tied to his beak, flippers and feet and before he could inhale, he was pulled underwater He struggled to break free, but the more he struggled, the tighter the ropes got. His eyes widened at the sight of two leopard seals holding the ropes. The last thing he saw was the evil smile of these leopard seals before he passed out.

* * *

"Johnson!" Skipper screamed as he ran toward the tied up penguin. Johnson was now being pulled underwater. Skipper was about to jump in, but he when he saw two leopard seals holding the ropes, he stopped and ran back to Hans and Manfredi and said, "HELP! JOHNSON'S BEEN **KIDNAPPED**!"

Both Hans and Manfredi gasped. "We must report this to the others!" Manfredi said, running for the HQ. When they got to the computer room, Skipper told Buck and the others (including Nigel and Eloise)everything that happened. Just when he was finishing the story, all the computer screens in the room went black, making all the penguins using the computers gasp. Then after a few seconds a sound was heard –

"Greetings Peng-yoo-wins." It said.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	8. Chapter 8: Next stop, Coney Island!

**THIS IS NOT A - YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK I SAID THAT TOO MANY TIMES ALREADY... I THINK YOU GET IT..**

**Disclaimer: I THINK YOU GET THIS TOO...**

**How It All Began  
Chapter 8: Next Stop, Coney Island!**

"Greetings Peng-yoo-wins." The voice said.

"**Blowhole**!" Buck growled.

A bottlenose dolphin appeared in the screen and said, "Well, _thank _you mister_spoiler_! You totally ruined the suspense!"

Manfredi gasped at the dolphins appearance. He had a weird mechanical eye with a scar poking out from under it. Dr. Blowhole glanced at Manfredi then at Buck. "Is he new?" he asked.

"Stop stalling Blowhole! What have you done with Johnson!?" Nigel insisted.

"Oh, Is _that_ his name? Well, a few years ago, I have successfully gotten rid of Jon Scott but I have heard from my fin and flippered seal friends that Jon's son and wife survived." The dolphin informed.

Skipper's eyes widened. He never knew that HE was the one that killed his father. Silvia pulled him closer and whispered, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you."

"I have gathered some information from my minions and I wanted to capture the little Skipper to prevent him from following his fathers footsteps. But I guess Johnson will have to do…" Dr. Blowhole stepped aside and revealed a tied-up Johnson hanging from the celing. Everyone gasped. The penguin coughed and said, "h…help…"

"Let him go, you big coward!" Skipper shouted.

Blowhole scoffed. "If you want to save him, you better give up. He's just a bait for the peng-yoo-wins. You better hurry! Muhaahaahaah!" he laughed in a dolphin-ish way then the computer screens went back to normal.

"Nigel! We have to save him!" Skipper begged him.

"Sorry ol' chap, but I need to be here when my sistah… you know my sistah's havin' an egg right?" Nigel said.

Skipper grunted. "And besides, Skippah. Johnson is da trap bait now. We will just put ahrselves in da danger." Hans told him, walking with him out of the room with Manfredi.

"You can't possibly think that, soldier! He's one of us! Remember the penguin credo? Never swim alone?" Skipper scolded.

"Yes, I _do_ remember dat, but uh… I am not a penguin…" Hans reminded.

Skipper handed Hans and Manfredi a walkie-talkie. "We go when everyone's asleep. We'll have to find his hide-out's location…" Skipper muttered.

"But Skipper, I know I'm not very smart," Manfredi said, "but I don't think this is a good ide…." Skipper pinned him down.

"WHAT? You question my authority, mister? Well, I didn't train hard to pass PELT for nothing, kapeesh?" Skipper growled.

"Aye-aye Skipper" Manfredi stammered, standing up once more.

* * *

**That night...**

The door to Skipper's home swung open and a penguin snuck out. "This is Skipper to Manfredi and Hans. Do you read me?" he said into a walki-talkie.

"I read you, Skipper." A voice said.

"Manfredi, where's Hans?" Skipper asked.

"I hear you Skippah!" Hans said through the walkie-talkie.

"Okay men, I'll meet you in the computer room door. Move out!" Skipper ordered before keeping the walki-talkie somewhere behind his back. Skipper skid across the hallway, looking for the computer room. He spotted Hans and Manfredi doing the same, The trio stood up infront of the computer room door and Hans picked the lock with a paperclip.

Once inside, Skipper turmed a computer on and searched for the message Blowhole sent hours ago. Manfredi searched for more information on Dr. Blowhole while Hans watched the two do their research.

"It says here that he has two known lairs. One in Coney Island and one in a round, red and yellow submarine." Manfredi reported.

"The room isn't round. He must be in Coney Island." Skipper guessed.

"But how vhill we get der?" Hans asked.

"Easy. You know how to steer a sub, right?" Skipper said.

Hans nodded proudly.

"But where will we get a sub?" Manfredi asked, tilting his head.

"Well duh! In da submarine place!" Hans answered rudely.

Manfredi snorted. He never did like Hans. But he never said it aloud because he might upset Skipper. "C'mon boys! Let's ride some mechanical fish!" Skipper exclaimed.

Hans looked at him in confusion. Skipper face-flippered. "The sub." He told him.

"Ooooh…" Hans quoted.

"Let's move!" Skipper ordered, sliding out the door. The others followed him to the sub room. They saw a penguin guard in the room, holding a flashlight. Skipper took out a penny.

"A penny? Cliche much, Skipper?" Manfredi commented.

Skipper ignored him and rolled it on the floor. The guard noticed it and followed it. When it was all clear, Skipper chose a small baby blue sub and they all went inside.

Hans took the wheel, Skipper sat on the captain's chair, while Manfredi took place near the ping machine. He pushed a button that made a loud siren sound. The guard, who had caught the penny, noticed the sound and was sliding toward the sub.

But before he could reach the sub, it fell down a hatch and into the water.

"That's it, boys! Steak out mission accomplished." Skipper announced.

"But Skippah, don't yah think we should be worried 'bout da guard?" Hans asked.

"Oh yes, we should! Because a bunch of submarines are headed straight for us!" Manfredi reported, pointing at the ping machine.

"Not on my watch… Hans! Steer this thing around!" Skipper ordered. Hans turned the sub around then Skipper said, "Fire the missiles!"

"Aye-aye captain!" Manfredi replied, pushing buttons that made missiles shoot out of the sub. The missiles hit three of them, and they saw three penguins swimming up to the surface. "Two more to go, Skipper." Manfredi said, not looking away from the ping machine.

"Hans! Forward. We'll shake 'em of our tail." Skipper said.

Hans grinned and steered the sub down to the deepest depths of the sea. He drove it through corals and rocks. The two subs followed slowly. Soon, they lost them and Hans set the course back to Coney Island.

"Well, that's that taken care of. Next stop, Coney Island!" Skipper exclaimed.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	9. Chapter 9: The Evil Lair

**Disclaimer: you get it, right?**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 9: The Evil Lair**

Deep underwater, a blue submarine was carefully making its way to Coney Island.

"Skipper's log." A penguin said to a recorder. "Here we are in the middle of the big blue, heading our way to Coney Island."

"Skipper, I think we have reached our destination!" a younger penguin squealed with excitement

"Yes, Skippah! Manfredi is correct. Vhe are here. Da Coney Island." A puffin informed them.

Skipper cocked his brow then walked to the scope. He saw a big zoo filled with aquarium with lots of humans and sea creatures.

Skipper grunted. "You're right, Hans. But all I see is zoo. And apparently it's still open. We'll have to wait." He said, sitting on the captain's chair. While Manfredi stared at the ping machine and Hans leaned on the wall.

* * *

**2 minutes later…**

"Aurgh! When is this park going to close?! Hans! Give me some intel!" Skipper ordered, pointing at the scope.

Hans walked up to the scope and looked through it. "Skippah, I see da sign dat says it closes at 11:00…" He told them

"And what time is it?" Skipper growled.

"10:58, sir." Manfredi said, pointing at the clock.

"Close enough. We'll just go undercover boys. Let's move!" said Skipper.

Hans steered the sub into one of the ports in the bay and they all slid out of the sub. They hid behind some kind of empty stage. Suddenly, they heard a sound-

"Ladies and gentlemen, the park is now closed for today." It said.

"Alright boys. We start looking around. But remember, we stay hidden. Under the shadows." Skipper said, moving his flippers in a circle in front of himself before sliding out of the hiding spot.

They slid in front of the stage. "Hans, do you think this is the place?" Skipper asked.

Hans cocked his brow and said, "I am not sure."

"But if it's an evil lair, there must be a hidden switch or something. Right, Skipper?" Manfredi asked.

"Right. You heard the boy, Hans. Look for a switch. Check every corner of this place. It could be anything." Skipper said, sliding to a random place.

"Hmm… A switch." He mumbled. He leaned on a wall that was actually a hidden button and before he could regain his balance, the floor gave way and he found himself screaming and falling down a hole.

"Skippah!" Hans shrieked, running for the hole, with Manfredi not far behind him.

* * *

"OOF!" Skipper said when he hit the ground.

"Ugh…." He moaned, rubbing his head. He looked around. He was in a room with lots of boxes. He instinctively slid into hiding.

"AHH!" Hans shouted, flapping his wings.

"I'M FALLI – OOF!" Manfredi screamed.

"YES! I SEE THAT, MANFRE- URGH!" Hans said before landing on top of Manfredi, who was lying on the floor.

"Psst!" Skipper called, signaling for them to hide.

Both Hans and Manfredi nodded and slid beside Skipper.

"Um… Skippah? Vhy are vhe hiding? Der are no guards around here." Hans said.

"Yeah. Why _are_ we hiding, Skipper?" Manfredi asked.

"Shh!" Skipper whispered. "This is an evil lair. Who knows, Blowhole might be watching our every move at this very moment."

Suddenly three cages dropped on top of them.

"Oh Crud!" Skipper shouted.

"Ah, peng-yoo-_wins_. I see that the Secret Military Fli-i-i-ghtless birds send teen-agers to fight for them now. Interesting." A voice called from behind them.

Hans turned around and saw Dr. Blowhole riding on a one-wheeled scooter.

"_Blowhole_! Vhere is Johnson?" He insisted.

"Oh I'd love to tell you, but I can't. He's a little pre-occupied at the moment. I think he's having a little chat with my seal friends, if you know what I mean." Blowhole said, rolling his scooter around the three cages.

"You fiend! Let him go!" Skipper shouted, pulling the pars of his cage.

The bottlenose dolphin ignored him and called some leopard seals to his side. Manfredi whimpered and stepped backwards at the sight of them. Dr. Blowhole chuckled. "They're peng-yoo-wins. You know what to do. Muahahhahahah!" He laughed before rolling away.

The leopard seals carried the cages on their heads.

"Woah! Skippah! Vhere are dey taking us?" Hans asked, holding the bars of his cage tightly.

"I don't know. But we have to stay strong. Don't expose one bit of fear." Skipper advised, glancing at Manfredi.

Manfredi gulped and closed his eyes tight.

Soon they arrived at an empty room (at least it seems empty). The seals threw (yes, literally threw) the cages on the floor, making the penguins hit and tumble in their cages.

Then the seals went out and locked the door.

"Ugh…" Skipper grumbled. "Manfredi? Hans? Are you alright?"

"I think… I think I am fine…" Hans replied, rubbing his right wing.

"Manfredi?" Skipper asked, glancing at the younger penguin.

Manfredi sat on the floor of his cage shaking his head, obviously dizzy.

"Are you alright, Manfredi?" Skipper repeated.

Manfredi gave him a slight nod.

Skipper looked around. There was nothing useful to them here. Just a few ropes that were very out of reach. Then he heard moaning that seemed to be coming from somewhere on top of them. He looked up and gasped.

It was Johnson! He was covered with cuts and bruises in a cage on top of a shelf... "Johnson! Is that you!?" Skipper shouted.

"S… Skipper? Y… you're h…here?" Johnson mumbled. "H…how did you…"

"It's a long story. But now, we have to get outta here." Skipper said, punching the bars of his cage. He stopped and looked at Johnson with confused eyes. "What happened to you?" He asked.

"L… leopard s…seals…" He said, shutting his eyes tight as he remembered what happened.

"Say no more, soldier. Whatever happened to you won't happen twice. We're busting you outta here." Skipper told him.

"How? De seals have locked de door and der are no windows." Hans pointed out.

Skipper looked around. Then he spotted something in the distance. _Air vent!_

"There's an air vent over there." Skipper informed, pointing at the air vent.

"And how are we supposed to get out of here?" Manfredi asked, looking at the bars of his cage.

"Hmm… Johnson! Options!" Skipper called.

After a while of silence, Johnson said, "I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it'll…"

"Just go man!" Skipper said impatiently.

Johnson pushed his cage off the table, sending him plummeting down onto Skipper's cage. The fall made a small hole and a dent in Skipper's cage. "Excellent plan, Johnson!" Skipper complimented, poking the small hole with his beak. Soon, the hole grew bigger and bigger until Skipper kicked it open and he burst out of the hole, landing in a fighting position. Then he heard voices outside –

"Are you sure you can handle them? I've heard that they can be pretty fierce." One said.

"Oh I'm _sure_. I'm an adult leopard seal. You're just a young girl. I can handle 'em." Came the reply.

Skipper picked the locks of each cage with a paperclip and got them all free. They heard the sound of an unlocking door and Johnson opened the air vent.

The door opened and revealed an adult brown leopard seal with a young white leopard seal behind it. The older gasped when he saw the opened cages.

"Where is the food?" he shrieked.

The younger slid inside the room. "Air vent." She observed.

The brown seal growled and took out a walkie-talkie.

"Dr. Blowhole! The prisoners have escaped. I repeat! The prisoners have escaped!" he reported.

"Then what are you waiting for then? Fi-i-i-i-i-ind them!" the dolphin said through the walkie-talkie.

The older seal glanced at the younger, who rolled her eyes and slid inside the air vent.

* * *

The penguins slid as fast as they could in the air vent. Left and right, getting faster and faster. Then they stopped when they saw a dead-end.

"A fan. It's not turned on." Johnson said.

"Yeah. I think we can _all _see that, Johnson." Skipper grumbled.

Suddenly, the fan started spinning and spinning, making wind push the team backwards.

"Stand… strong… boys… AH!" Skipper shouted when he lost his balance and was being pushed by the wind together with the others until the wind became weaker and Skipper heard a voice from behind him –

"Hi!" It said.

Skipper turned to see a leopard seal! "**AH! LEOPARD SEA**…" He screamed before his beak was clamped shut by the young seal's flippers. "Shh!" She whispered. "Do you wanna get caught?"

Skipper kicked the seal, who whimpered in pain, letting go of the commando penguin. "Who are you?!" Skipper demanded.

"Oh! Sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Amy. Don't worry. I'm definitely _not_ gonna eat you. I'm still a young pup!" Amy informed.

"And what does _that_ have to do with you not eating us?" Skipper asked, cocking his brow.

"Technically, leopard seal pups only eat shrimp, fish, and squid. They only eat penguin when they're older." Johnson informed.

Amy nodded in agreement.

"I don't think the question is if she's gonna eat us or not. I think the _real_ question is, why is she following us?" Manfredi said.

"Manfredi's right. Why _are_ you following us?" Skipper questioned.

"You see, I was trying to… Wait… You're the Skipper penguin I keep hearing about right?" Amy asked.

"Yeah." Skipper replied.

"_GREAT_! Now you can help me." Amy said quickly.

"_Help you?_ Now why would we want to do that?" Manfredi said, putting a flipper on his hip.

"_Please!_ I'm _begging_ you! I need your help! You see, the dolphin guy, Dr. Blowhole, doesn't just ask leopard seals to join him, NO! I was brought here unwillingly. Away from my parents. Away from everything I know in Antarctica." Amy said, slightly sobbing. "Some seals decide to stay because Blowhole promised easy penguin meals, but I don't want to eat penguin!"

"At least not _yet_." Johnson said, crossing his flippers.

"Okay, fine… I know a way outta here. It's risky, but we _can_ try. Then once we get out, you return the favor by bringing me back to my home. Does_ that _sound good?" Amy offered.

Johnson nodded and smiled.

"Dat sounds like a good idea." Hans said.

"Yup." Manfredi agreed, glancing at Skipper.

"NEGATIVE! There is absolutely NO WAY I'm helping a leopard seal!" Skipper exclaimed, crossing his flippers. Amy frowned. Johnson motioned the others to excuse them while Johnson and Skipper huddled.

"Skipper, I get that you're paranoid to things like this, but give Amy a chance. As your second-in-command I advise you to let her try. I mean… this might be the only way we can escape." He told him. Skipper grunted.

Amy looked at Skipper. "Please, Skipper?" she said with big leopard puppy eyes.

Skipper sighed. "Fine. But we'll only take you to the edge of leopard seal territories. NOT in our HQ."

"Oh thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" Amy exclaimed, hugging Skipper.

"Okay… okay... Can you _please_ get off me now…" Skipper said.

"Whoops! Sorry… hehe…" Amy giggled, letting go of him.

"But I still think this is a bad idea." Skipper growled.

"Don't mind Skippah. He's _always_ paranoid like dat." Hans explained to Amy.

"Okay, Amy. How do we get outta here?" Manfredi asked.

"Follow me." Amy said, sliding ahead.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	10. Chapter 10: The Run Back Home

**DiScLaImEr: I dO nOt OwN pOm...**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 10: The Run Back Home**

The penguins followed the young pup to an opening in the vent. When Skipper opened it, they jumped through it and landed in an empty room (yes… really empty now).

"Sea Ville doesn't have many secret exits… But I know one. We'll have to swim through it." Amy informed.

"S…s…_swim_?!" Hans exclaimed.

Amy glanced at Hans, confused. "You… _are_ a penguin, right?"

Hans shook his head. "I am… a Puffin."

"Flying bird. But unfortunately, Hans here can't fly and we never got a chance to teach him how to swim." Johnson said.

Hans smiled shyly.

Suddenly, Manfredi gasped when he heard noises outside the door.

"Hurry!" Amy said, slapping her tail on the wall. A hole opened right beside her with water pouring out of it.

Hans gave Skipper a worried glance as water soaked his feathers. Skipper grabbed Hans and swam through the hole. Manfredi followed, but Johnson whimpered in pain. "Ouch! The saltwater! It stings! It stings _so bad_!" He cried, holding his wounds with his flippers.

"Hurry _up_!" We don't have much time!" Amy told him.

"I… I c_an't_! Go on without me!" Johnson insisted.

Amy let out a low growl and grabbed Johnson gently in her mouth. She ignored the painful cries of the penguin and slapped her tail on the wall, making the water drain and the hole close slowly. Amy quickly swam through the hole just a second before it closed.

* * *

When they resurfaced, Skipper gasped.

"What have you done to him?!" Skipper shrieked at the sight of Johnson's limp body in the young leopard seal. Amy spat him out and Skipper caught him.

"_Bleck_! I didn't do _anything_! He was alright when I grabbed him. He didn't want to leave 'cause his wounds hurt so bad." Amy reassured.

"Let's just settle this in the sub." Manfredi said, swimming toward the ports.

When they got to the sub, Skipper tried to push the water out of his feathered friend. He stopped when he heard him coughing.

"*cough* *cough* Urgh… Wh… what happened?" Johnson asked.

"They're accusing me of hurting _you_!" Amy shouted.

"But you didn't." Johnson said, weakly. "Well, not… exactly. My wounds just stung when you grabbed me with you teeth but… you did that gently…" Johnson explained, glancing at Skipper.

"Well, the important thing right now is that you're okay and we can sent that_monster_ back home." Skipper said, glaring at Amy.

Amy frowned and sadly laid her head on the floor to rest.

"Don't worry Amy. I'm sure Skipper will get over his paranoia over you." Manfredi comforted.

Amy sighed and turned her head away from him and closed her eyes to rest.

* * *

Amy opened her eyes to find herself outside, in the ice and snow. She lifted her head and saw the penguins looking down on a small ice hole.

Manfredi noticed her and said, "Oh! Amy's awake, guys!"

"How did I get here?" Amy asked.

"I'm sorry that is classified information, Amy." Johnson replied, jumping out of the ice hole with a lot of fishes in his flippers.

Amy rolled his eyes. "Right. Uh… Where are we? And _don't_ you_ dare_ tell me that it's classified information."

"Edge of da leopard seal territories. Vhe were waiting for yah to get up." Hans told her.

"Oh." Amy mumbled. "So.. this is goodbye?"

"Nah. It's more of a _Good Riddance_ to me…" Skipper growled, crossing his flippers. "We're even now, predator. You go home to your little mammal friends, while we will go back to HQ."

Amy frowned and dragged herself slowly away.

"Skipper, she's all alone. She might get lost. Let's take her back to HQ and tell Buck to bring her home." Manfredi suggested.

Skipper rolled his eyes, and watched the sad pup sulk away.

"URGH! FINE… Let's get this over with." Skipper grunted.

"Thank you, Oh, Thank you, Skipper!" Amy said, hugging Skipper again.

"Really? Geez! AGAIN with the hugging?" Skipper complained.

"Sorry, ehehe. I'm a… uh… hugging type." Amy said.

Skipper grunted and slid away from leopard seal territories.

All of them followed him.

When they got to the entrance, it was strangely quiet. Amy looked around cautiously. Suddenly, something kicked her flat on her belly. She felt ropes being thrown on top of her and around her snout. She also felt a penguins foot on her head.

"Boys! You're back. And you brought a spy." The penguin said.

Johnson rolled his eyes. "_Daaad!_" he said, loosening the ropes on Amy's snout.

"Johnson!" the penguin exclaimed, jumping off the seal to hug Johnson.

"What happened to you? Why are you all… like… that?" he asked, examining his wounds.

"Um… er… Mister Jackson, we'll explain it all to you, but… please let Amy go." Manfredi said.

Jackson rolled his eyes and signaled to some hiding penguins to let go of her. Jackson glared at the leopard seal while Amy growled and stayed behind Skipper. (She's smaller than Hunter… a bit smaller)

"What happened?" Jackson said, in a more serious voice. "If it's got something to do with that seal, I…"

"Dad, We'd like to speak to you in private." Johnson said, glancing at the other agents, who nodded and left them alone.

Skipper told Jackson everything that had happened from when they snuck out to when they returned and Jackson seemed to understand.

"Boys, your mothers are worried about you. Ever since they heard about your disappearance…" he trailed off.

"But vhe are here now, right?" Hans said.

Jackson nodded. "Now let's tell your mothers you're all right."

Amy whimpered at the thought of more accusations of being a spy. Manfredi noticed her and patted her back. "Hey. It's all right." He whispered.

Soon, they got to the training room. Silvia and Angelica were there, talking to each other. Buck was there too.

As soon as the penguins stepped in the room, Silvia and Angelica gasped in delight before hugging their sons.

"Oh I missed you, Cody!" Silvia said.

"MOoom!" Skipper complained.

"What happened to you?" Angelica asked Johnson.

"Long story. Dad knows it all." Johnson explained.

"Well, whatever happened to you, we must let Doc have a look at you." Angelica told him.

"Speaking of Doc, she helped Eloise today. The egg is with her in the medical room. You cupcakes wanna check it out?" Buck asked them.

"Sure! Oh, and Buck? Can you do me a favor?" Skipper said.

"What is it?" Buck cocked his brow.

Skipper turned his head toward the door. Buck followed his gaze and saw a medium-sized leopard seal waiting there shyly.

Buck's eyes widened. "Who's that?"

"Her name's Amy. She helped us escape and we need you to bring her home." Johnson said.

Amy nodded.

Silvia and Angelica noticed Buck staring at the door and turned their heads toward the door. They gasped when they saw the leopard seal.

"Don't worry." Johnson announced. "It's just a pup."

Silvia sighed in relief. "Oh… What's your name, little one?" she asked.

"A.. Amy…" Amy replied, stepping out of the shadows.

"Well, Amy. Why don't you come with us to visit Eloise and James? Such a lucky couple…" Silvia commented.

"J… James?" Amy asked.

"James Brown. Best agent ever. Well… next to Nigel Buckingham…" Angelica informed. "Well, what are we waiting for? An invitation? Let's go!" Buck said, sliding out the door.

Soon, they arrived at the hall full of medical rooms. Doc didn't seem to bothered when she saw Amy because she knew that if Buck was okay with it, she was okay with it.

"James! Eloise! You have visitors!" Doc announced, opening the door wider.

Curious Amy pushed her way through the crowding penguins. When she got inside, she found herself face-to-face with a muscular penguin with his flippers up defensively, glaring at her with brown eyes.

"Hold your ground, James. She's safe." Buck said from behind Amy.

James put his flippers down, gave Amy a calm nod, and rushed to the bed behind him.

"Eloise! How's everything?" Silvia asked the penguin on the bed.

"Good. The egg's fine, and so am I." She replied, stroking the egg beside her.

Manfredi eyed James curiously. Eloise must have noticed this because she chuckled and said, "This is James Brown. He may look fierce with all his battle scars, but he can be sweet and thoughtful at times. He's a great agent, you know."

James puffed out his chest with pride.

Skipper rolled his eyes. _I'll be a great agent like him one day… Maybe even better!_He thought. He turned his attention to the small-ish egg on the bed. "What're you gonna name the little cadet?"

"Well, since Doc said it's a male, we're naming him Benjamin… Ben for short. Right, James?" Eloise replied, glancing at James, who nodded.

"Does he ever speak?" Johnson asked curiously.

"There are rare occasions where he does… He prefers to speak when needed to…"

"Where's Nigel?" Hans asked.

"He wanted to visit Polly… My other sister… He won't be back for… long…"

Buck cleared his throat and got everyone's attention. "Well, uh… Congratulations, love birds! We have a busy schedule and that egg's not gonna crack itself, you know…" Buck said, leading the group out the door. "G'bye!" he added, shutting the door.

"_Buck!_ What was that for?" Angelica asked.

"Well, these cupcakes need to catch up on training… But Johnson will be excused for today."

"_What_? Why?" Skipper said.

"I'm going to check on him… check for any infections in his wounds." Doc replied, gently nudging Johnson closer to her. "_That's _why he's excused."

"I'm bringing Amy home right now. Plus, it's team-building week." Buck said, glancing at Skipper, who's eyes lit up at the sound of the occasion.

"Woohoo! Alright, men (minus Johnson), to the training area! Hoo-ah!" Skipper shouted, sliding toward the training area.

Both Hans and Manfredi slumped. "It is _dat _time of da year…" Hans said, slowly following his leader.

Johnson chuckled. He was glad he was mission out of Team-building week day 1.

* * *

**That night…**

Manfredi plopped himself on his bunk. "Ugh! That was tiring!"

"Not really." Johnson said, relaxing on his bunk.

"Says the penguin who didn't_ do_ anything!" Manfredi complained.

Johnson laughed. "Yeah… Hey… Where's Hans?"

"He collapsed on the floor." Manfredi said, pointing at the unconscious puffin on the floor.

"You know, I kinda miss my_ old _bed… But it's nice that the SMPF gave us our team room." Johnson told them.

"Evenin' team!" Skipper said, barging in the room.

He picked up the puffin on the floor and threw him on his bunk. "Better rest up! Busy schedule tomorrow!" Skipper reminded them, jumping onto the top bunk.

Manfredi groaned before dozing off to sleep.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	11. Chapter 11: Fun FUN FUN FUN

**Disclaimer: I DISCLAIM POM... (did i use that right?)**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 11: Fun... FUN FUN FUN**

"WAKE UP, SLEEPY HEADS!" A loud voice rang into Johnson's ear.

"Wha?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"**FALL IN!**" Skipper ordered

Hans, Manfredi, and Johnson all stood in line.

"NOW, you might think that we're gonna go through the same old routine as yesterday…" Skipper said, " Well, you are sadly mistaken. I'm cutting team-building week short this week."

"Aw… Uh… Bummer. Hehe…" Manfredi said, sarcastically.  
"Now, we'll just reflect on everything… **EVERYTHING**… Tell me, Johnson. What bothers you today? What still… mystifies you…" Skipper asked.

"Well… I guess Eloise's strange behavior baffles me." Johnson replied.

"What kind of strange behaviors?"

"Well.. uh… It appears that when she gets mad at someone, that someone flinches away, as if she's something to be afraid of." Johnson pointed out.

"Da Johnson penguin is right… She _is_ acting a little strange…" Hans said.

"Nah… We'll figure that out in time. It's probably just because she's fierce at times. Next problem?" Skipper told them.

"But Skipper," Manfredi said, "Don't you think Eloise's behavior is a problem to…"

"Trust me, Manfredi. What could go wrong?" Skipper smirked.

"Well, first she could be a danger to our… um…"

Skipper scowled and Manfredi cleared his throat.

"Sorry, Skipper." Manfredi stammered.

"Right… Now, what should we do today?" Skipper asked.

"W…we could uh… check on Eloise." Hans suggested.

"Hans, I told you. We have no problem with Eloise's behavior! At the moment, it's NONE of our business."

"No, Skipper. I believe Hans means if we could check on her egg. Doc told me that she uses and incubator to hatch the eggs. She somehow made the incubation faster… We should probably check on the progress." Johnson said.

"Well, if you put it that way, sure! Move out!" Skipper ordered, sliding out.

"When they got to the Medical hall, they were greeted by Doc. "Hey boys! Come to see Benjamin?" Doc asked.

"Wait… The little Cadet's out of the shell?" Skipper grinned.

"Well… Why don't you see for yourself?" Doc said, opening the door.

The team rushed through the door to see that Eloise was playing with a young penguin in her flippers. "Daaw, you're such a cute little penguin, Benjamin!" Eloise said, cuddling the little boy.

James noticed the team and stepped forward to greet them. "Greetings boys." He sadi in a deep voice. "Uh… Eloise. The boys are here… as expected."

Skipper rushed to the side of the bed. The baby was sucking his flipper. "Er… may I?" Skipper asked, holding out his flippers.

Eloise nodded and let Skipper hold Benjamin. The baby looked at Skipper with bright blue eyes and giggled, cuddling him.

Skipper smiled and stroked his feathers affectionately.

"Take care, little Private. You'll be a great addition to my team one day." Skipper said, giving him back to his mother.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Um… the uh… Penguin team? Your presence is requested outside the building." A voice said.

Skipper grunted. "*sigh* C'mon boys. Move out."

They slid to the front of the SMPF. Suddenly Johnson was pinned to the ground.

Johnson looked up and saw a familiar face. "A…Amy? Is that you?" Johnson said, happily.

"Amy?! Why are _you_ here, _carnivore_?" Skipper scowled.

Amy cleared her throat, getting off Johnson. "Well, you're my friends, right? And I try to keep in touch with my friends."

"Leopard seals are the cold-hearted, back-stabbing creatures of the Ice. Why would you care for penguins?" Skipper asked.

"I told you. I'm your friend, and you're _my_ friends! Look…" Amy said, pushing a pile of fish near them. "This is for your Elite Penguin Force thingy… I caught this all by myself!"

"Uh… First of all, Thank you… Second, It's Secret Military Penguin Force. NOT Elite Penguin Force… That's just Clubpenguin…" Johnson smiled innocently at him.

"Watch that computer madness, Johnson." Skipper warned. Johnson smiled innocently at him.

"Amy, this is nice, really…" Skipper said, trying to sound friendly. "But you can't keep showing up here. Not here in our HQ!"

Amy frowned. "I… you know… just thought we could have a little friend routine, like taking walks, or swims, sliding maybe…"

Skipper started walking back in the builing

"We could even do battle training." Amy added.

Skipper stopped dead on his tracks.

"We leopard seals _do_ know a few fighting techniques you would want to know." Amy said, smirking.

Skipper turned and opened his mouth to reply, but closed it, as if rethinking what he would say. Then finally, he sighed and said, "Some other time… Say… this afternoon?"

Amy smiled. "Sure. No prob. See ya, penguins!"

"I'm a puffin!" Hans said.

Amy chuckled. "And you, Puffin." She said, sliding away.

When she was out of sight, Manfredi asked, "Skipper, are we going?"

"Yes, but I order you to keep an eye on her. Stay on your toes. Don't lose your guard." Skipper replied.

"Yes sir!" Manfredi said, saluting.

"Now, men, report to the training area immediately. I'll catch up. I have something to attend to." Skipper ordered.

They gave him a nod and slid inside the building. Skipper, on the other hand, slid down a different hall and stopped to see Doc standing in front of him.

"Back again?" Doc asked.

Skipper nodded and opened the door himself. Eloise was gone and so was James. He saw a small crib near the bed and peeked in it. He saw little Benjamin sleeping with a pacifier in his beak.

Skipper chuckled and gently pulled the pacifier out of his mouth. The baby's eyes shot open and he let out a wail. Skipper raised the pacifier above him

Benjamin reached with his flippers, tiny tears rolling down his cheek.

Skipper lowered the pacifier and Benjamin grabbed it and put it back in his mouth. Skipper stroked his head-feathers. This made Benjamin drop the pacifier and look at Skipper, who smiled.

Benjamin giggled and reached out his flippers. Skipper picked him up and hugged him. Benjamin, liking the warmness, dozed off to sleep.

"Skippah? Would that be you, ovah there?" Skipper heard a voice behind him and turned to see Eloise, holding a bowlful of small fish.

"I… I… I thought you were gone…" Skipper stammered.

"Brothah Nigel sent me a video message. Plus, I got some fish for Ben… I see you have a liking foh Benjy…" She said, nearing him.

"_Benjy_?" Skipper cocked his brow.

"Adorable isn't he?" Eloise said, eying the penguin in Skipper's flippers.

"Oh, him? Yeah… He's as innocent as a flower." Skipper said, placing him back in the crib.

"He might be a very good agent some day…"

Skipper slightly scoffed. "_Might_…"

* * *

**5 Years Later…**

"Okay men, Now that we've already eaten lunch… Hans versus Johnson. GO!" Skipper said, handing out the blindfolds. Manfredi and Skipper backed off the mat and observed. Johnson took a step closer to Hans. Hans heard it and ran toward him, knocking him over with a clean sweep of his wing. Johnson, knowing now where his target is, stood up and tried to trip him by kicking his feet, but Hans jumped and flapped his wings, keeping him in the air for a longer period of time.

Hans had learned this trick in time. Skipper told him to use his different shaped wings to his advantage, but Hans can't fly higher than this. Johnson heard the flapping and jumped toward the sound, successfully pinning Hans down by his wings.

The puffin kicked Johnson's belly and Johnson fell backwards then stood up in a fighting position.

Suddenly, Skipper spotted a small figure nearing the fighting two.

"No…" Skipper mumbled, sliding toward it.

Johnson heard the pitter patter of webbed feet. Thinking it was Hans, he pinned it down, only to be surprised by how small the body was.

"Get _off me_!" A high-pitched British accent was heard.

Before Johnson could react, he was kicked painfully on the side, sending him out of the mat. He took off his blindfold and saw Skipper helping a little penguin up.

"_Private_! You shouldn't be here!" Skipper scolded.

"I'm sorry sir. I just missed you. I thought you would come to our room all the time…" Benjamin said, holding out his flippers.

Skipper picked him up. "I _do_. But this is one of the times where I can't. My team needs training…. Hey… Did you sneak out again?"

Benjamin looked at his feet, embarrassed. "Eh… Why do you ask?"

"Benjy! _Benjy_! Where have you gone?" a voice was heard from outside the training area.

Benjamin shrieked and jumped out of Skipper's flippers. "Hide me!" He said, hiding behind Skipper's back.

Eloise came barging in the room. "Skipper, where's Benjamin?" she said.

Skipper chuckled and stepped aside and revealed a trembling penguin behind him.

"There you are! Come here, you!" Eloise said, grabbing him.

"Mum! Let me go!" Benjamin said, struggling in her grip.

"Now, now, Benjamin. Listen to your mother. And most of all don't interfere with our training. You're not yet old enough." Skipper ordered.

Benjamin slumped. "Yes, Skippah."

Skipper watched as his mother carried him away.

"I'll visit you as soon as we're finished!" Skipper called out.

"So _dat's_ why Skippah's been missing lately." Hans figured.

"Oh, shut your fish-hole and put your blindfolds on." Skipper said, tapping the floor with his toes.

Suddenly, a tall penguin wearing a blue bellboy's hat came running in the room. He whispered something in Skipper's ear.

Skipper's eyes widened with excitement. "Boys, time to go battle training with a seal!" He announced.

Hans and Manfredi took off their blindfolds and smiled, so did Johnson. Together, they slid out the door and through the doors of the SMPF. They were greeted by Amy. "Hey guys! How's life?"

"Good. You?" Johnson replied.

"Great! Ready to get trainin'?" Amy said, with a determined look.

Skipper nodded, glancing at Manfredi.

"Me first?" Manfredi said, looking shocked.

Skipper nodded again, crossing his flippers.

Manfredi gulped and faced the leopard seal. "Now, Manfredi, I'll go easy on ya. It'll be alright." Amy said.

Manfredi smiled but that smile faded when Amy growled and bared her teeth, as if in a _real_ battle. Manfredi tried not to tremble, and put up his flippers defensively instead. Amy lunged at him and pinned him down.

Manfredi screamed and pushed her off.

Amy glared at him and lunged at him again. Manfredi jumped out of the way and landed on her back and held on.

Amy thrashed him back and forth but Manfredi didn't let go. Then Amy flicked him off with her tail and slid toward him, grabbing him in her mouth. Then she dropped him on the floor. "I win! If this were a_ real_ battle, and I was a _real_ enemy leopard seal, I'd be thrashing you to pieces and eating you up, but I _still_ don't like the taste of penguin… _Bleck_!" she said, sticking out her tongue.

Manfredi got up and shook all the snow off him.

"_Manfredi_, what happened back there?" Skipper scowled.

"Sorry, Skipper. I guess I need more practice." He said, rubbing the ground with his foot.

"Let me show you how it's d- WOAH!" Skipper shrieked as he was shoved to the ground with his face in the snow.

He got up and scowled. "Who the heck did that!" he shouted, Amy laughed.

"Why you little… HYYAH!" Skipper lunged at her, pinning her to the ground. Amy slipped out of his grip and knocked Skipper over. Skipper got up with snow on his beak. Amy laughed again and Skipper ran behind her and grabbed her tail, throwing her onto a big pile of snow.

Amy got up to see everyone laughing at her. Even Skipper. She smirked, shaking the snow off her. She slid in front of Skipper. "Sorry. I just couldn't take the yap-yap-yap and wanted to start the training." Amy said.

"No worries." Skipper said, smirking.

Amy smiled. _He's finally warming up to me!_ She thought.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	12. Chapter 12: Mystery Solved

Disclaimer: DO I REALLY HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN?

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 12: Mystery Solved**

After saying their good-byes to Amy, the team went inside their room.

"…and to think I was da one dat started da snowy ball fight!" Hans laughed.

"Yeah… I hope we'll have a funner day with Amy tomorrow." Manfredi commented.

"_FUNNER_ isn't a real word, Manfredi." Johnson corrected.

"I don't care…" Manfredi scowled.

"Guys! Stop it!" Skipper scolded, " We're a team… We're not supposed to be against each other."

Suddenly, the door swung open. "Skippah? Are yah here?" a high-pitched voice shouted.

"Benjamin? What are you doing here?" Skipper said, crouching to face the little penguin.

"I…I just…" Benjamin paused then suddenly burst into tears. "Skippah! You_promised_!" he said, burying his face in Skipper's feathers.

Skipper glanced at the wall clock. _9 o'clock already? _He thought.

"You… you promised *sniff* that you'd come

"Hey, hey… I'll… make it up to you. Where's your mother? Or did you sneak out again?"

"He didn't. I let him come here." Another voice said from the door. "Skipper, you promised. Breaking a promise can crush a young boys heart."

"Eloise, I can make it up to him. _Really_! Just let him spend the night with us…" Skipper said.

"Oh no,no,no,no,no… Not now! It's already _way _past his bedtime. He's going straight to bed… OUR bed, NOW." Said Eloise, trying to control her temper.

"But _mum!_" Benjamin complained.

"No buts, young man. You know bettah." Eloise reasoned.

"Just give the boy a chance, Eloise." Johnson said.

"No, I…" Eloise stammered.

"It will be super-dee-duper fun!" Hans said, clapping his flippers with delight.

"But… but BENJY WILL…"

"We won't stay up long." Manfredi said.

"_SHUT IT!" _Eloise shouted and everyone fell silent. "IT'S **_NOT _**GOOD TO KEEP BENJAMIN AWAKE FOR **_SO LONG_**_!_ HE NEEDS HIS REST SO HE CAN **_COPE_**WITH THE NEXT DAY! WOULD YOU JUST **_LISTEN_**TO ME FOR **_JUST_**A **_SECOND_**!?"

This was the first time they were scolded by Eloise like this and their eyes grew wide with shock. Skipper noticed something different about her, but he can't quite put his flipper on it. He also noticed that Benjamin was whimpering and covering his eyes.

Seeing this, Eloise sighed. "Um… er… Now that I think about it, I… guess it's alright if Benjamin stays with Team Penguin until morning. But **_NO_** sweets. I mean it. And you better be asleep by Lights Out at 10:00pm, okay?"

Benjamin uncovered his eyes and said, "Really, mum? Are yah serious?"

Eloise nodded and Benjamin ran up to her and gave her a hug. "Thanks mum!" he said.

"Don't mention it. I mean… You need some more time with yoh 'favorite agent'." Eloise said, smirking at Skipper.

"Favorite… agent?" Skipper stammered.

Benjamin nodded and skipped toward Skipper and held his flipper. "To me, You're the _best_ agent in the whole wohld!" he said, smiling.

Skipper glanced at Eloise, who was slowly making her way out the door. "Thank you." He said.

Eloise smiled before closing the door behind her.

"Uh… guyz? Was I da only one who noticed something different about Eloise?" Hans asked.

Manfredi rose to his feet and said, "_I_ did, but I can't quite…"

"It's her eyes…" Johnson interrupted.

"What?" Skipper asked.

"Her eyes. They were red. Well… I would say scarlet, but to the scientifically unsophisticated, it's red. Besides that, her feathers became ruffled." Johnson said.

"Did you know about this?" Skipper said, turning to Benjamin.

"Yah, she's my mum! I know almost everything about her." Benjamin replied.

"So you knew all along?" Manfredi said.

"Well… not _all_ along. You see, I was scolded by mum when I was two…"

_FLASHBACK_

_CRASH!_

_"Benjy? What happened in there?" Eloise shouted from another room._

_Benjamin looked down wide-eyed on the broken pieces of the beautiful vase. Eloise barged in the room and gasped, looking at Benjamin, eyes turning red._

_"__**BENJAMIN BROWN**__! THAT WAS A __**VERY SPECIAL**__ VASE! UNCLE __**NIGEL**__ SENT ME THAT VASE!" she said, her feathers becoming ruffled._

_The little boy, noticing these changes, whimpered, tears forming in his little eyes._

_Eloise saw this and closed her eyes. She opened them a while later and neared him. "I…I'm… I'm sorry Benjy, I didn't mean for it to come out like that, I…" she stammered._

_Benjamin looked up from his sobbing to see that her eyes were a calm shade of blue._

_"I… I didn't mean to break… It… It was an accident!" Benjamin said, tears rolling down his cheek._

_"Shh, shh… It's okay… I… I can always ask Uncle Nigel to whip up another one. Right?" Eloise said, smiling._

_"I g…guess so… Um… Mum? Wh… why did yoh eyes change…c…colah?" Benjamin asked._

_Eloise wiped the tears off his eye. "It's... uh… what's the word?" she said, tapping her beak._

_"C…classified?" Benjamin guessed._

_Eloise nodded. "I'll tell you when you're older. When you're old enough to know. But for now, I'd like you to know that I'm nothing to be afraid of. And don't worry. It's not contagious… and it's not a sickness either."_

_END OF FLASHBACK_

"That's _all_ she told you?" Hans said, scratching his head.

"Well, I was still two. And I tried asking dad, but he says the same things."

"Classified?" Skipper smirked.

"_Classified…_" Benjamin confirmed.

Johnson grabbed a small whiteboard and a whiteboard marker and began scribbling. "Based on the data that Benjamin has shared to us, I may infer that she might have an illness… no… wait…" Johnson flipped the whiteboard upside down.

"Oh! Here it is… She might be… uh… Skipper?" he said, motioning his leader to come closer.

Skipper's eyes widened and he slapped Johnson. "Impossible, Johnson! Eloise isn't… _that_! I mean… _LOOK AT HER!"_

"I stand corrected… Sorry Skipper." Johnson stammered.

Everyone else tilted their heads in confusion.

Hans looked at the wall clock. "5 minutes to da Lights Out, everybody!" He announced.

The team grabbed their night caps and put them on. Skipper searched the cabinets and found a stuffed penguin.

He got the stuffed penguin and gave it to Benjamin and they all climbed into their beds (bunks for some…)

Then a voice that sounded like Doc's was heard-

_Lights out… Goodnight, Agents!_

Then all the lights were turned off.

Benjamin twisted and turned in his foam bed on the floor, but he couldn't sleep. He got up, clutching the stuffed penguin in his right flipper and called out to Skipper, "Skippah!? Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Skipper got down from the top bunk and nodded, carrying Benjamin up his bunk.

When they were all lying down, Benjamin whispered, "You know, Skippah?"

"What?"

"I hope I'll be in your team one day… then we could go on missions and I could follow your footsteps." He yawned.

"Yeah." Skipper said, closing his eyes. "I hope so too."

* * *

Meanwhile, some where in the west area of the Arctic Ice, a figure slid into view. It hid behind a big lump of snow and took out a small video watch. After a few button-pushing, a voice was heard-

"Ah, agent 402… I thought you'd never call. Is the plan going well?"

The figure nodded. "Yes, doc. The plan is working perfectly, just as you planned."

"Excellent. How's the target?"

"Asleep and unaware."

"Then what are you waiting for? Get rid of him!"

"I'm afraid that is impossible, doc. It looks like their being guarded…. Guards everywhere! I can't possibly get in their room without being caught."

The voice grunted. "FINE. Just do it soon. Agent 780 will try to make it easier for you. Make sure you get rid of him once, and for all… Mwaha-ha-ha-ha!"

"With pleasure." The figure said before turning the video watch off.

* * *

"MORNIN' SLEEPIN' BEAUTIES!" Skipper yelled, waking everyone up.

"Guess what Benjamin and I found outside waiting for us!"

"Fish fillet?" Johnson guessed, smelling the scent of the cooked fish.

"And my special fish coffee…" Skipper confirmed, glancing at Benjamin, who gave him a cup of coffee with a fish sticking out of it. Everyone ate fish fillet except Skipper, who gave his fish to Benjamin.

After they finished their meals, they headed to the training area. They did some stretching and exercises like running 10 laps around the training area.

Benjamin, of course, didn't join. He just watched happily on the bench. Skipper gave him a butterscotch lolli to keep him busy.

Then the big doors of the room swung open and Eloise walked inside. "Benjy!" she said, happily. "There's my little boy! How was he night with Skippah?"

"It was great, mum! I had a great time." Benjamin replied, hugging his mother.

"Well, that's good to know. I suppose I'll have to take him out of yoh feathahs boys. I hope he wasn't any trouble to you."

"He wasn't. Thank you, Eloise." Skipper told her.

As soon as mother and son left the room, Skipper heard a cough and turned to see Manfredi coughing.

"Are you alright, Manfredi?" He asked.

"I'm *cough* I'm fine, *cough* Skipper…" Manfredi said, coughing loudly. "It's just a *cough* little cough…"

"You should see Doc. You won't do well with Amy later if you have a cough." Skipper ordered, pointing at the door.

"If you *cough* say so, Skipper. *Cough cough*" Manfredi slid out the door, coughing and wheezing.

"Vhat happened to Manfredi?" Hans asked.

"Nothing. He's fine. Just a simple cough. I only sent him out so you two wouldn't get infected." Skipper explained.

"Oh… that's understandable." Johnson pointed out.

"Get back to work!" Skipper yelled and they got back to their exercises.

Meanwhile, Benjamin was telling his parents what happened in his time with Skipper…

"…And I woke up after Skippah and we saw a huge tray full of yummy fish fillet right in front of the door!" he said.

"Fish fillet huh? Sounds delicious." James smirked.

"It _was_!" Benjamin said, rubbing his belly.

"Wait… you ate some? But…but that was for the penguins… you… you stole their meal, you…"

"I didn't steal. Skipper gave me his." Benjamin replied.

Then they heard a beeping sound.

"Whoops, heh… I'm late for another meeting. Bye, son… Bye Eloise." He said, giving her a kiss. Benjamin covered his eyes and stuck his tongue out.

Then James zipped out of the room without another word.

Eloise cleared her throat and got Benjamin's attention. "Please excuse your father. He's been having more and more meetings ever since last week. But I think Skipper was very generous to do this. Now, come here and give me a hug!"

Benjamin giggled and ran to hug his mother.

Eloise's eyes widened when he hugged her. "Benjy, you're a bit warm. Are you feeling well?" she asked.

"I _do_ feel a bit queasy and *yawn* sleepy."

"Then go to bed… I'll call Doc to come check on you, okay?"

"Okay mum." Benjamin said, slowly walking to the bedroom.

Benjamin covered himself with the blanket on the bed. From the bedroom, he could hear his mother talking on the phone.

"Hello, Doc? Benjamin's ill... Manfredi too?... Well, he's a bit feverish… Oh my… Is Manfredi alright?... Well, that's good to hear… Okay, okay… See you…" Then she put the phone down and walked in the bedroom.

"Wh…what happened?" Benjamin asked.

"Doc's coming to see you. Manfredi's sick too. He just threw up a while ago. Now he's feeling a bit better because Doc gave him his medicine… That's good, right?" she replied.

"Yeah… I gues…" he was interrupted by a fit of coughing.

Eloise put her flipper on Benjamin's forehead. "Benjy, you're _burning!_" she shrieked, pulling the blanket off him.

Benjamin's eyelids began to feel heavy. He wiped the sweat off his head and closed his eyes to rest.

The last thing he heard was the opening of a door and Doc's greeting to Eloise before he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Benjamin opened his eyes to find himself drenched in sweat. There was an ice pack on his head and a thermometer in his beak.

He looked around and realized that he was in a medical room, surrounded by Doc, his mother, and Skipper's team.

Skipper was talking to Doc in the distance while the rest of them were around the bad he was on.

"Skipper! He's conscious!" Johnson said, calling his leader.

Banjamin noticed Manfredi sipping a cup of water right beside him. He looked all better.

"Private! I'm so glad you're okay."

"Wh… *cough* What h… happened?" Benjamin asked.

"The fish fillet. It was poisoned. At this very moment, we have our best agents investigating everything." Doc replied.

"The fish you ate was meant for me. It made you sicker than Manfredi. And I have no idea why these two are still standing." Skipper said, referring to Hans and Manfredi, who smiled innocently. "Well, Manfredi _does_ have a sensitive stomach."

Manfredi smiled. "But _do_ feel ship shape and ready for training."

"How long was I *cough cough* asleep?" Benjamin stammered.

"5 hours." Manfredi replied.

"Which means you missed lunch." Skipper pointed out.

"Which means… AMY! OUR TRAINING! WE'RE LATE!" Johnson panicked.

"Oh yeah… right." Skipper said then he turned to Benjamin "We'll be back. PROMISE."

Benjamin gave him a nod before the team slid out the door.

When Skipper and his team arrived in front of the HQ, Amy was staring calmly at them, "Hey guys!" She said.

"Hey, Amy. What's today's battle technique?" Skipper asked cocking his brow.

"You know what? I think I'd rather relax and have fun with you for once… Maybe we could watch the sunset near the shore." Amy said.

"Nah, I don't want to go back to the shore where Johnson got captured." Skipper said, glancing at Johnson, who whimpered at the memory of everything.

"I have an idea! Let's go to the fishing pond!" Manfredi suggested.

"Great! Fishing pond it is! Hop on my back. I know a short cut." Amy said, lying on her belly.

Once they were all on her back, she made a hole in the ice with her tail and she swam under.

When they got there, Manfredi and Johnson went Ice skating while Hans watched them. Skipper on the other hand, sat down and did nothing.

"Er… Skipper? Can I talk to you… in private?" Amy said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Okay." Skipper said and started waddling away from the frozen pond.

Manfredi narrowed his eyes in suspicion and slid after them as soon as their backs were turned.

He hid behind an ice rock and watched the two.

"So… Why did you want to talk to me privately?" Skipper asked, walking ahead of the seal.

"Oh, no reason… hehe…" Amy smirked, licking her lips.

Manfredi's eyes widened in alarm and he ran toward them.

Amy lunged for Skipper.

"Skipper! Watch out!" Manfredi yelled, pushing Skipper out of the way. Manfredi screamed when he felt sharp teeth pierce his body.

Skipper watched in horror on the floor as Manfredi was being thrashed side-to-side by the young seal, blood dripping down from Amy's mouth.

A yell brought Skipper to his feet-

"MANFREDI! NO!"

It was Johnson, running with Hans at his heels.

Skipper jumped and kicked Amy's side, making her drop his team mate on the ground. Johnson tended to Manfredi while Hans joined the fight.

"TRAITOR!" Skipper shouted, aiming a kick on her head. Amy ducked and turned, smiling evilly. "Hah! But who have I betrayed? I've always been loyal to my TRUE side."

"You betrayed us! Just when Skipper was warming up to you!" Hans said, jumping on her back.

Amy flicked him off with her tail and hit him down with her flipper.

"And that's what I've been waiting for! YOU were my target, Skipper" she added, turning to Skipper. "I was afraid you'd never let your guard down. The moment you DID, I tried to attack. The plan was working flawlessly until your little FRIEND interfered with it." She bared her teeth and growled at Skipper.

Skipper pinned her to the ground. "You're a SPY! Who are you working for?"

"Oh isn't it obvious already?" she said, tussling with Skipper.

"You work for dat Dr. Blowhole guy!" Hans said from a distance.

"Really? It took you THAT long to figure it out?" Amy said, punching Skipper off her.

Amy got up and was about to lunge at Skipper when she was knocked out by a whack in the back of the neck by Hans.

"Call for back up." Skipper ordered Hans who took out a walkie-talkie.

The Skipper slid toward Manfredi, who was covered in bandages put by Johnson.

"Hang on Manfredi. Back up's coming." Skipper said, noticing that Manfredi was slowly losing consciousness.

And if that was their cue, 2 penguin-sized cars pulled up and 2 penguins (One was Doc) cam out of one, carrying a stretcher.

Hans and Johnson hopped in the car containing the injured Manfredi while Skipper jumpe din the one containing Amy and they sped off toward the SMPF.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	13. Chapter 13: Pain and Loss

Disclaimer: I don't own... PoM...

**_Hey guys! Here's chapter 13! Oh, and FYI, Only Eloise's irises become red, not the whole thing… ENJOY!_**

_Previously, On How It All Began…_

_"…And I woke up after Skippah and we saw a huge tray full of yummy fish fillet right in front of the door!" Benajmin said._

_"Fish fillet huh? Sounds delicious." James smirked._

_"It was!" Benjamin said, rubbing his belly._

_"Wait… you ate some? But…but that was for the penguins… you… you stole their meal, you…"_

_"I didn't steal. Skipper gave me his." Benjamin replied._

* * *

_Eloise put her flipper on Benjamin's forehead. "Benjy, you're burning!" she shrieked, pulling the blanket off him._

_"Wh… *cough* What h… happened?" Benjamin asked._

_"The fish fillet. It was poisoned. At this very moment, we have our best agents investigating everything." Doc replied._

_"The fish you ate was meant for me. It made you sicker than Manfredi." Skipper said._

* * *

_"OUR TRAINING! WE'RE LATE!" Johnson panicked._

_"Oh yeah… right." Skipper said then he turned to Benjamin "We'll be back. PROMISE."_

* * *

_"Er… Skipper? Can I talk to you… in private?" Amy said._

_Amy lunged at Skipper._

_"Skipper! Watch out!" Manfredi yelled, pushing Skipper out of the way. Manfredi screamed when he felt sharp teeth pierce his body._

_"MANFREDI! NO!"_

_YOU were my target, Skipper…" Amy added, "I was afraid you'd never let your guard down. The moment you DID, I tried to attack. The plan was working flawlessly until your little FRIEND interfered with it." She bared her teeth and growled at Skipper._

_Skipper pinned her to the ground. "You're a SPY!"_

* * *

How It All Began

Chapter 13: Pain and Loss

Hans jumped in the car containing the injured Manfredi while Skipper jumped in the one containing Amy and they sped off toward the SMPF.

Unfortunately, the group was slowed down by a soft blizzard. They kept pushing through, but gave up when word came from HQ that there was a strong blizzard forming in their location, so they took refuge in a cave that they found.

They put the unconscious Amy in a well-guarded cage. Hans tried to ask where it came from, but Skipper told him it was classified.

Then Skipper noticed movement in the cage.

"Well, did you enjoy your sleep?" Skipper smirked, approaching it.

"Oh yeah, yeah. It was fine." Amy said sarcastically. "You know, it's amazing, how I slept.. I was restless until someone WHACKED ME IN THE NECK!" she sat up and turned facing the opposite wall of the cage.

"Why would you join Blowhole? Free penguin meals?" Skipper guessed.

Amy sighed. "It's… It's complicated."

"Well let's hear it." Skipper said.

Amy grunted and turned to face Skipper. "You remember the first time we met? In that airvent? What I told you was real. I really was taken unwillingly from, not Antarctica, but from a zoo. The zoo my family lived in. It was so peaceful there. We were not accused as… uh… what did you call it?... er… The cold-hearted, back-stabbing creatures of the ice?"

Skipper chuckled as he remembered his definition of leopard seals.

"But then, Dr. Blowhole too me in my sleep when I was still young, still being bottle-fed my those humans. I was still too innocent to kill penguins, plus, they don't feed us penguin. I used that as a reason for them to release me but it only made it worse. He said he could train me to be a ruthless, cruel penguin killer. They didn't feed me so I'd be hungry the next day. They would only let me eat if I did well in training."

Amy shook her head, as to clear the sad memories in her head. "Wh… Why are you tending to me? Your teammate looks like he needs you." Amy said, glancing at Manfredi, who was surrounded by Doc and some medical teams.

Skipper narrowed his eyes at her then gave a glance to some of the agents, who nodded and guarded the cage while Skipper neared his injured teammate.

When he got close enough, he was blocked by two medical agents.

"HEY! What's the big idea?" Skipper complained.

"It is imperative that none shall near the patient during treatment, sir." On replied.

"Fine then. Carry on." Skipper said, walking away. He glanced at the two, who weren't looking at him. Then he zipped back and went near the opposite side of the crowd.

"What else can we do, Doc?" Skipper heard a voice ask.

"I'm afraid we can't do anything now. The bit on his stomach is too infected and is still open. All we can do now is let nature take it's course." Doc replied.

"WHAT! You mean he's gonna… _die_?" Skipper said, getting everyone's attention.

Doc sighed then nodded.

"NO!" Skipper shouted, pushing his way through the crowd.

"Manfredi! Don't die! The team needs you!" Skipper aid, holding back tears.

"*cough* Skipper… I h… hope the team will be f…fine without me."

The rest of the team approached them.

"Y…you're a great leader, Skipper... P… please keep it that way.. And… Thank you… Th… thank you for… everything, Skipper." Manfredi said with his last breath, then the life in his eyes was gone.

"No, no, no Manfredi! Say something!" Skipper insisted, tears rolling down his cheek.

There was no reply.

"NOOOO!" Skipper screamed to the sky before resting his head mournfully on his teammates body. "Manfredi…" Skipper mumbled.

"How will we _ever _explain this to everybody?" Doc asked, ducking her head.

Soon enough, they held a mourning ceremony. Even after the ceremony, Skipper mourned the longest. It seemed that he couldn't get over his death.

Doc noticed this and approached him.

"Depression is unhealthy, you know…" Doc started.

"Wh… what?" Skipper asked, looking up from his sobbing.

"It can cause Insomnia, fatigue, headache, digestive related problems, body ache…"

"Okay, okay! I get it! Depression can be bad! Now stop with the Jibber-jabber already." Skipper complained.

Doc was amused at this and chuckled. "Well, _somebody's _in a bad mood." She smirked.

Skipper stood up and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. I just can't get over it."

"Well, you should. You have to move on and take care of the rest of your team. I can help, if you want."

"But Doc, Manf-"

"_Please_, just call me Alice." Doc said, smiling.

"_Alice_?" Skipper asked in confusion.

"Yeah. That's my first nickname… Y… you didn't know?"

Skipper shook his head.

"Well, now you know. Alice Doc Grove. Nice to meet you… Hehe."

"Who else calls you Alice?" Skipper asked curiously.

"Well, sometimes Nigel. Er… some of the oldest medical agents, my mentor… and now, you." Doc smiled. "But in front of other people, please call me Doc… Eh, what were we talking 'bout?"

"Manfredi. H… he's a dear friend of mine. Not as close as me and Hans, but… A big portion of his death is my fault. I'm his leader! I'm a skipper! And I let my guard down. I didn't realize that if I do that, I would be putting my team's lives at risk. I should be the one bitten by that monster. Not him." Skipper said, frowning.

"Skipper, you fret too much. If you hadn't let your guard down, then we wouldn't capture one of Blowhole's spies. If _you_ were the one bitten by Amy, then… then_you_ would die. Then _you_, the team _leader_ would die. Then the _whole_ team would fall apart! If _you_ died … if _you_ were the one lying on a stretcher, the one I gave up on… I'd never forgive myself for giving up on you." Doc said, looking at her feet then she looked at Skipper and met his gaze. Then she blushed. "I… I… I mean… You're the leader, and… and… I would be responsible if the team falls apart, and… maybe the leader will be replaced…"

"Okay, okay… You know, sometimes, you talk too much…" Skipper complained.

Doc scratched the back of her neck. "Sorry…"

"Well… uh… Thanks, Alice. I'm feeling a lot better than I was before. Thank you…" he said, slightly bowing with respect.

Doc laughed. "I'm not as old as you think, Skipper."

Skipper looked confused.

"I was just 8 when you were 6… I… I'm a King Penguin. A big penguin. That's why I looked taller and… older before… Doc is my second nickname. My mentor, Jessie, trained me. I'm a fast learner therefore my smarts boosted up rapidl… wait… Am I talking too much?"

"No, no, no…. But uh… Thanks again, Alice." Skipper said before walking away.

Doc sighed, watching him longingly.

* * *

Benjamin groaned on his bed. James went to have a meeting with the remaining medical teams while Eloise was trying to calm Silvia down. The news came about the blizzard and Skipper, his team, Doc, _her_ team, and a bunch of other medical teams were confined in a cave until the blizzard dies down.

"Silvia, It's alright! Skipper can take care of himself." Eloise comforted.

"I know that! It's just… Cody… I care about him, you know!" Silvia whined.

Then the door swung open. "Benjamin! Eloise! I've got good news and bad news." James announced.

"You do?" Eloise asked excitedly.

"What is *cough* what is it?" Benjamin said.

"The good news is, together with the chem teams, I've found the cure for the super poison." James announced.

"That's wonderful! And the bad news?" Eloise insisted.

"Um… eh… you have to inject it in him." James said, holding up a needle and a bottle of yellow liquid.

"*cough cough* WHAT!?" Benjamin panicked.

"It's okay, Benjy! It's just a little pinch. Then you'll be all better in a jiffy." Eloise reassured.

"A SHOT is not a LITTLE PINCH, and I have NO idea what a jiffy is! So PLEASE jus- AAH!" Benjamin shrieked as the needle pierced him.

"There." James said, removing the needle. "Good as new… I guess."

Benjamin fainted on the bed.

"That MIGHT be one of the effects of the potion. That means it's working." James said, smiling innocently.

Then another penguin barged in the room.

"SILVIA! Your son's coming back! The blizzard stopped! It's a miracle!" a female penguin said.

"Really? That's great news! …wait… I know that look, Jessie. There's something you're not telling me."

"Nothing! I told you everything! I have absolutely - okay you got me…" Jessie took a deep breath. "Manfredi … Manfredi's dead."

Everyone(except Benjamin, who is unconscious) gasped.

"It was Amy. She killed him." Jessie reported.

"Dear me. When did this happen?" James asked.

"Just when Skipper and his team left for her cover training. She's actually a spy of Dr. Blowhole."

"Oh my, did they capture her?" Silvia said.

Jessie nodded. "They've got her secured and watched carefully. In fact, they're on their way here RIGHT NOW!"

Then there was a beeping sound.

James looked at his watch. "Oh great. _Another_ meeting? … Sorry. Gotta go." James said, zipping out the room.

"Oh that busy James. Always out on a meeting. What a great agent he must be." Jessie commented.

* * *

_Meanwhile, somewhere near the HQ_

"This is agent 780, to Doctor Blowhole. Doctor Blowhole, come in." A voice said.

A tiny screen became visible.

"Agent 780. Anything to report?"

"A Blizzard has slowed down the target, doc. But he's on his way here now. Agent 402 got caught and is trapped. Anything I can do?"

"Try to get her out of trouble when the time comes. But as much as possible, Do-o-on't get caught by any of the other… peng-yoo-wins."

"Aye-aye doc." The voice replied.

* * *

"Skipper!" Silvia shouted with delight as she ran toward her son. "Oh how I've missed you!"

"Mom!" Skipper said, hugging his mother.

"Dad!" Johnson shrieked, playfully tackling his father.

"Johnson! I'm so glad you're okay." Jackson said.

Skipper let go of his mother and smiled before watching some of the best agents transporting Amy to a cell.

"You killed an innocent, young agent, Amy. You're gonna get the punishment you deserve." One said, chaining the leopard seal

"B…but… I'm not the only agent! My partner is implanted into the heart of the SMPF!" Amy reasoned.

Another agent scoffed. "And who would _that_ be?"

"Agent 780, A.K.A… James Brown!" Amy said, narrowing her eyes at James.

"What?! Don't believe her! It's a trick! She's lying!" James said.

"Don't you lie to me, James! He's the one who tried to poison Skipper and his team! I mean… how else can someone poison their food and get away with it?! It has to be one of the most trusted agents in all of SMPF! JAMES BROWN!"

The agents murmured in agreement.

James scowled at Amy. "Well great job, _Agent. _You exposed my whole cover." Then he smirked at the other agents. "Yes. I'm a spy."

Everyone gasped then scowled at him. "Traitor!" one shouted.

"Heh, time to make my great escape! Oh, and… uh… try to remember me as the worlds greatest DPA, Hahaha!" He laughed evilly.

"James?" Eloise stammered, tears in her eyes.

"Oh yeah. Thank you, Eloise. My true identity was completely covered because of you and Benjamin."

"You _used_ us!" Eloise shrieked angrily.

"Well duh!... Farewell, Secret Military Penguin Jerks!" James said, throwing a smoke bomb on the floor. It exploded and a blanket of smoke covered the whole room. When the smoke cleared, all that was left of the spies was a feather and the chains they used to tie Amy.

Eloise felt a flipper on her shoulder and turned to see Skipper.

"I'm so sorry." He said.

Eloise closed her eyes and sighed, pushing his flipper off and she ran down a hall.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	14. Chapter 14: The Transfer

... DISCLAIMER...

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 14: The Transfer**

"There you go, Benjy. Just a few more hours in bed and you'll be completely well." Jessie told the young penguin. The door was slowly pushed open and both the penguins turned their attention to it.

It was Eloise. She was sobbing.

"Why ah you cryin' mum?" Benjamin asked.

Eloise closed the door gently and wiped the tears on her face. "It's nothing."

"It's anything but nothing, Eloise. Tell me what's wrong." Jessie insisted.

"It's… *sniff* James. H…he's one of the Deep Penetration Agents of Dr. B… Blowhole." Eloise stammered.

Jessie ducked her head. "*Sigh* He was a good agent. Very useful and smart. Everyone in the SMPF trusted him. Especially you, Eloise. You were his mate."

"I was j… just a cover! He never loved _me_!" Eloise growled.

"I know, I know." Jessie said, rubbing Eloise's back. "But there are things that you just have to leave in the past. It's done now, and there's nothing you can do to change it."

Eloise sighed. Then fixed her sad expression. "You're right." She said firmly. "C'mon Benjamin. Let's go back to our room."

"Eloise! Benjamin has to stay in bed for atlea…" Jessie hesitated when she saw the look in her face.

Her eyes turned red. "He's coming with _me_." She snarled.

Jessie flinched away and nodded, glancing at Benjamin.

Benjamin gulped and slowly walked toward his mother.

Eloise held on to his flipper and together they slid toward their room.

When they got to their room, Benjamin was put on the bed. "Mum?" He said, yawning.

"What do you want?" Eloise replied angrily.

Benjamin gave her a concerned look. Her eyes were still red. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Now stop fussing. You're just a kid." Eloise said, tucking him in bed.

"A kid who's your son. I care for you, mum." Benjamin said, trying to make her happy and make her eyes a calm blue again. But it didn't work. Her eyes remained red.

"That's… good to know, Benjy. Now get some rest. Jessie said that you'd be well in the morning." Eloise said, turning the light off.

"But what about you?" Benjy asked, tapping the space on the bed right beside him.

"Let's just say, I have lot's to think about." Eloise said, starting to close the door.

"Mum?" Benjamin said, drawing her attention. "Please don't stay upset." Benjamin said, smiling innocently.

For a second, her eyes turned blue then turned red again when she remembered what had happened a few minutes before. "*sigh* _Good night_ Benjamin." She said, shutting the door.

Benjamin closed his eyes and allowed himself to fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

Some time the next morning…

"Paging Skipper, Hans, and Johnson. Please report to the main office immediately." Doc's voice was heard all over the HQ.

"What does she want _now_?" Skipper complained, motioning for his team to follow him as he slid toward the main office.

"I'm sending you to our secret agency in Denmark." Jessie told them when they got there.

"WHAT?!" Skipper exclaimed.

"It'll be fine. This agency takes care of little abandoned animals and sometimes recruits them. I'll email Agent Steph." Jessie said, typing on a computer.

"But you can't transfer us! This is our home! We belong here." Johnson pointed out.

"Understandable. However, Dr. Blowhole now knows your location and since_you're_ his new arch nemesis, he'll be coming after you and your team. It is safer for you all to be in another location."

Then a ding was heard from the computer.

"Right…" Jessie mumbled. "Agent Steph (pronounced as stef) will be coming on a helicopter to fetch you guys. She'll be arriving sometime before lunch. I assume you'll have enough time to pack up."

"Uh… Agent… _Steph_?" Hans asked.

Doc cleared her throat. "Stephanie Shores. Head of the agency in Denmark. Call her Stephie, Stephanie or Step and she'll rip you apart." She chuckled.

Skipper scoffed. "I'd like to see her try." He challenged.

"Skipper, I believe you and your team have some work to do." Jessie said, tapping her foot on the floor.

"Uh right. C'mon men. Pack only what is necessary." He ordered before leading his team out of the room.

A few hours later, a helicopter landed on the rooftop of the SMPF building. A few penguins stood there to watch the team leave.

Skipper looked at the door of the helicopter, expecting a penguin to pop out but instead, a female hawk jumped out. Smoothing her feathers with her beak.

"That's Agent Steph. I know you were expecting a penguin, but… This is her." Doc whispered into Skipper's earhole.

"Good-bye son. We'll miss you." Angelica told her son.

"Bye mom. Bye dad." Johnson said, hugging his parents.

"Be safe, Skipper." Silvia said, hugging Skipper.

"I will." Skipper replied, pulling away gently before smiling at her.

Then the team neared the hawk near the helicopter.

"Greetings Antarctic dwellers. I'm Agent Steph. But Steph is fine." The hawk introduced.

"I hear your real name is Stephanie." Skipper smirked.

Steph growled. "Don't you _dare_ call me Stephanie…"Then she sighed. "I'll take it easy on you, newbie... for now… Just don't get used to it."

Skipper scoffed and got on the helicopter. He saw another animal on board. It was a white tom with black patches.

"Howdy, mate. The name's Scratch. Good tah meet yah." The cat meowed. "And I reckon your name is Skipper?"

"How did you…"

"I'm one of Steph's teammates. She told me all 'bout yah." Scratch said.

"Okay…" Skipper said, buckling his seatbelt.

Johnson peeked through the window, waving good-bye to everyone as the helicopter flew up.

"Skippah? Vhy are vhe so… h… high up?" Hans said, looking through the window.

"Hah! A_ puffin_? Afraid of_ heights_?" Steph laughed in the pilot's seat.

"He can't fly… He never did until… er… this helicopter…" Johnson explained.

Steph scoffed. "That's what you get when you hang out with a bunch of flightless birds."

"And what about you? You're a hawk flying a helicopter… That doesn't make sense, does it?" Skipper smirked at his team, who laughed at Steph.

Steph scowled.

"Er… If I were you, I wouldn't do that…" Scratch stammered.

"And you're teammate's a _cat_! Hah!" Skipper said, laughing. "Bird and cat? What's up with that?"

Steph punched a button in the controls and flew near him, unbuckling his seat belt before pinning his against the chair. "Listen, _Skipper_. You don't seem to know who I am. I'm Agent Steph. _Head_ of the agency _you_ were transferred in. So now, you listen to me. Kapeesh?"

Skipper cocked his brow and smirked. "Alright, Agent _Stephie_."

"Grr… Hyyah!" Steph shrieked as she kicked Skipper out the open door.

Everyone except Scratch gasped.

"Don't worry your little feathahs, mates. She did that to me on mah first day too." Scratch told them. "She'll just let 'em fall a bit…"

"AAAHHH!" Skipper screamed as he fell.

"Then she'll jump down…" Scratch narrated as they watched the swift hawk jump out of the helicopter.

"And just at the last minute…"

Steph fell faster and faster after the falling penguin.

"OH SWEET MERCY HELP!" Skipper shouted, closing his eyes tightly. And just before he reached the water, a claw grabbed his body and brought him up.

"She'll save 'em." Scratch said, as Steph, holding the still-quivering Skipper flew in the helicopter.

Steph dropped Skipper on his chair and flew toward her seat.

"Let's just hope that taught you a lesson…" She mumbled, punching the button once again and taking hold of the wheel.

Skipper buckled his seatbelt, eyes still wide and beak still quivering.

Steph chuckled, making the helicopter go faster.

A few hours later, they arrived at the location of the secret agency.

"What is this place? It's just a lake." Johnson observed.

Steph laughed. "Newbies…" She mumbled, pulling out an I.D and dipping it in the water. Then suddenly, the water in the lake split, revealing a hatch in the middle.

Steph and Scratch walked toward it, glancing at the others. "Are yah comin'" Scratch asked, jumping down the hatch, using his claws to slow him down.

Hans gulped and walked toward them together with the team.

"I don't know… maybe it's - AAHH!" Johnson screamed as he and the others were pushed in the hole by the hawk.

"AAAHH! Why do I have to fall TWICE?" Skipper said,

Hans glanced up and saw Steph spreading out her wings and gliding down slowly.

He looked at his wings and spread them. He was immediately slowed down and was gliding down, giggling at the achievement.

Steph caught up to him and whispered, "Nice job, newbie. Next thing you know, you're really in the game."

Hans smiled and looked down.

Skipper and Johnson were on the floor, groaning and moaning. While Scratch was grooming himself.

When Hans and Steph landed, Steph laughed. "Soon you'll learn… C'mon. I'll show you around a bit." She said, opening a door.

All of them walked out the door. They saw a lot of animals. Cats, dogs, robins, and sparrows. Penguins too! They were helping them, feeding them, and curing them.

"This is the work room. This is where the agents take care of the animals." Steph explained, motioning them to follow her to the next room.

"This is the Monitory room." She said as she walked in the room with lots of monitors. "It's where we monitor the nests of birds, and other places in case some one needs help." She pointed to a monitor showing a white cat walking toward the lake. "STRAY CAT, TWELVE O'CLOCK. Don't make it see us." She said to a microphone.

"Roger that, Steph." A voice replied. Then she pointed to another monitor showing the lake flowing. "That's the lake we went through. Looks like this cat doesn't need help. Unless it drowns in there." She mumbled.

"Now, here is where you and your team will be staying." Steph said, opening a door, revealing a bunch of beds and lamps in there.

"Alright! A bed! I AM TIRED!" Skipper said, plopping himself on one bed.

Steph rolled her eyes. "Alright. You can sleep. Your luggage will arrive later. Agent Genevieve will come and give it to you together with your lunch." She said before leading Scratch out the door.

"*yawn* I'm gonna catch some shut-eye boys." Skipper announced, curling up in his bed.

"Aye-aye, Skipper." Hans said, checking the drawers and testing the lamps.

Skipper then closed his eyes and sighed.

A few minutes later they heard a knock on the door. Johnson opened the door and saw a female chin-strapped penguin holding a tray of fish. "Hello. My name is Agent Genevieve. I'm looking for our new transfer… uh… Skipper?" she said.

"He's asleep. Steph told us you'd be coming. Come in." Johnson said, giving way for the penguin to pass

Genevieve placed the tray on the table and went out to fetch the bags.

"Skippah, our lunch is here." Hans whispered, nudging Skipper awake.

When Genevieve had finished her work and the team was already eating, she smiled. "We hope you'll enjoy your stay here... OH! And Agent Steph will be waiting for you in the Monitoring Room when you're done." Then she closed the door.

Johnson finished his meal and was already packing his backpack with the usual stuff.

"Okay, men. Let's go meet that hawk." Skipper ordered, sliding out and into the Monitoring Room.

"Greetings Team Penguin. I have a mission for you. It's small, but it'll help you adjust to the ways of this agency." Steph told them. "I need you to scout this perimeter. You'll do a recon there too. So you're staying overnight in that grassy plain." She said, pointing to a screen.

"Sounds easy enough." Skipper said, putting a flipper on his hip.

"Good luck!" Steph said, pushing a blue button that made the floor give way, and everyone but Steph, who was flying, fell.

The team was sent into the lake and they swam toward the surface. "That bird has_got_ to tell us what she's gonna do before she does it." Skipper complained, helping Hans onto the shore.

Then they heard a rustling sound.

"What was that?" Johnson asked.

Hans spotted movement in one of the bushes nearby. He glanced at Skipper, who nodded.

Together, the team crept away from the rustling bush. They heard a twig snap and they spun around, only to see that they were facing nothing but a few weeds and grass.

Then suddenly Skipper felt something slam onto his body, with claws as sharp as thorns.

"Well, well, well… Hey guys, look! We've got ourselves another group of them flightless birds!" a female voice said.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	15. Chapter 15: Forest Cats

**Yupp... i think i said it enough already...**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 15: Forest Cats**

Skipper looked up and saw an orange she-cat with black stripes and green eyes. "Eh Stripes! Do you think Flames will like this one?" She said, stroking his side with her claws. Even though she did it softly, it was still painful due to it's sharpness.

"Yes, Tiger. But I think he would like to see it first. You know, it's _his_ decision whether to spare him or not." A white she-cat with black stripes replied, walking toward her fellow cat.

She paused when she saw Johnson and Hans just standing there.

"Why didn't you run or fly away yet?" She asked.

"Because he's our leader, Skipper." Johnson replied.

"Ah, loyal and noble birds. We can put that to good use… SABER, CLAWS, bring the prisoners to the nest. And you, Tiger, bring uh… Skipper, as they say…" Stripes meowed, walking away.

Two cats appeared from the bushes, one gray with green eyes, and one brown with one eye blue and one eye green.

They surrounded Hans & Johnson while Tiger nudged Skipper up.

Skipper took this chance to give the she-cat an uppercut, making her fall on her belly.

He then darted toward the lake.

"Oh no you don't! Saber!" Stripes shouted, glancing at the brown cat.

Saber nodded and sprang toward the fleeing penguin with claws out. He slashed his side, making him fling toward a tree.

Saber caught him in his mouth and ran toward the small group of cats.

He dropped him in front of Stripes.

"You have strength. Also useful. Flames will be pleased. Come!" She ordered, waving her tail.

Skipper felt his side. It was bleeding badly. He winced at the pain.

"C'mon! Let's get moving!" Stripes said impatiently, glancing at the penguin on the floor.

She rolled her eyes and picked him up, ignoring the taste of blood as she ran into the woods.

Saber and Claws bared their teeth at Hans and Johnson slashing their claws in the air, threatening them to move forward.

Both the birds walked carefully, afraid that one of the cats might tackle them at any moment.

Soon, they arrived at the nest. It was full of cats of different colors, talking, playing, and grooming themselves.

The place was hidden well. Surrounded by trees both above and around it.

Stripes placed Skipper on the ground. "VIOLET! Tend to this bird's needs!"

Skipper watched as a white she-cat with orange & brown patches neared him.

She eyed his side, sniffing his wound.

"Hmm… It's got Saber scent all over it." Violet reported. "I'll see what I can do."

Skipper then noticed the unusual color in her eyes. They were purple. No wonder her name was Violet.

Meanwhile, Stripes trotted toward an orange cat with red streaks and yellow eyes.

"Flames, my sweet." She purred, rubbing her face onto his.

"I see you brought back prey." Flames said, eyeing the birds being guarded by Saber and Claws.

"Not prey Flames. The two show great loyalty and the other one has great & useful strength and confidence." Stripes told her mate.

"Useful qualities… Spare them. They are to feel welcome here. But prevent them from leaving. We may need them here to protect us." Flames ordered.

"Of course." Stripes meowed before nodding at Saber and Claws, who backed away from the birds.

Then Hans and Johnson slid toward Skipper and Violet, getting faster and faster until – "OUCH!"

They crashed into a white she-cat with pale-blue eyes.

"Hey! Didn't you see us zipping past…" Johnson grumbled.

"I'm so, so sorry! I didn't smell you there…" she mewed.

"SMELL?" Hans looked confused.

Johnson noticed that she wasn't looking straight at them.

The cat sniffed them. "A penguin & a puffin? Hm… My name is Crystal… I'm… I'm blind…" She ducked her head.

"Er… Hans, and Johnson. We are kind of in da hurries here." Hans replied.

"Oh… uh… sorry…" Crystal said, stepping backwards as they slid past her.

Just before they reached Skipper. They were blocked by Violet.

"And just _what_ do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

"We're trying to tend to our leader!" Johnson defended.

"Well, as you can see, I patched him up already." The cat meowed, pushing Skipper gently with her fluffy, soft tail.

Skipper's side was wrapped in sweet-scented leaves and a glob of honey to keep it together.

"I'm fine boys. Violet here helped me." Skipper said, smiling gratefully at her.

Violet dipped her head before padding away.

"Skippah! Look at all these cats! Day could be good recruits to da agency." Hans pointed out.

"What agency?" An orange cat (with red streaks) approached them.

"That's classified information." Skipper said.

"Pardon. I didn't introduce myself. My name is Flames, leader of the cat pack. Welcome to our nest."

"You can keep your welcomes, Flames. We don't want to be here. We best be heading toward our lake." Skipper said, walking away.

Flames blocked his path. "You can't leave! We've been looking for animals with your abilities since FOREVER."

Skipper narrowed his eyes and stepped to the right. Flames followed. He then stepped to the left. Flames stepped to the left too.

Skipper went left, right, left, and right sill with that cat following him until he jumped over Flames' head.

Flames growled, spun around, reached his paw on the penguin, and brought him down. He then flicked the bird back in his place. "You're NOT leaving." Flames said.

"HAWK! HAWK!" Somebody yelled.

"What?" Flames asked.

"HAWK INCOMING! TAKE COVER!" A running black cat screamed.

"Hawk? HAWK! C'mon people! You know the drill!" Flames shouted, pushing the birds into a bush.

"What the…" Skipper stammered.

"BATTLE STATIONS!" Flames ordered, glancing at fierce looking cats hiding in the shadows before jumping in the bush.

"What do you think you're – MMF!" Skipper said when Flames stuck his tail in his beak.

A quick Cooper's hawk landed on the floor, glancing around suspiciously.

Saber let out a loud caterwaul, jumping on the hawk's back. It screeched, flapping its wings trying to flee.

"What the cranberries are you _doing_? I'm… urgh!... I didn't… do… ANYTHING WRONG!" it shrieked.

"Wait a minute! That's no predator! That's Agent Steph!" Skipper exclaimed. He ran out to help her.

"No! Wait!" Flames called out to him.

More cats began attacking the hawk, tearing at her feathers.

"Hyyah!" Skipper shouted, kicking cats away from Steph.

He punched some off the hawk while Steph nipped their tails until everyone was off.

"Agent Steph. I knew it was you!" Skipper said.

"It's okay…" Flames reassured his fellow cats. "It seems like our guest knows this one."

"_GUEST? _You came here as their _GUEST!?_" Steph exclaimed.

"But vhe did not come here. Vhe vhere captured! Den vhe were told to stay here, and now, vhe can't leave." Hans explained.

"And why not?" Steph asked.

"Because they've been looking for animals with our abilities to protect them." Johnson stated.

"Hah! We have tons of animals with your abilities back at HQ! Maybe even better! We should recruit these cats!"

"Dat was my idea!" Hans shouted.

"I came searching for you, newbies. I came down since the chip on Hans' back told me you were here." Steph said, pulling the chip out of Han's back.

"HEY!" Hans complained.

"Hey Stephanie, If you want to recruit everyone here, you would have to talk to Flames. He's the guy in charge around these parts." Skipper smirked. "If you can handle it." He said, pointing at Flames.

Steph scowled at him for calling him Stephanie. Then smirked. "We'll see about that." She said, flying gracefully toward the orange cat.

Skipper scoffed. "Hah! I doubt she can even say a single word without…"

"Um… Skippah?" Hans said, pointing at the two.

"What the…" Skipper said, seeing that Flames was nodding and walking with the hawk. He jumped onto a rock and yelled, "Everyone! Listen up! I've got something to say!"

All the cats gathered around him, keeping a good distance between them and the fierce hawk.

"Our friend, Steph here says she lives in a secret agency free from predators and harsh weather. She will provide us with food and water everyday if we stay with her and let the flightless birds go."

Hans looked hurt at the word "flightless".

Murmurs of delight were heard at the sound of an easy life.

"HOWEVER… in exchange for these terms, we will have to serve the agency. The agency takes care of abandoned animals. We'll do what they call recons, lookouts, search-and-rescues, and many more… It depends on the job Agent Steph will give you. All that wants to join her stay in the berry bush side. Those who wish to stay here in the forest, come near me." Flames said.

All of the cats split at once.

Steph flew near a berry bush, watching a few cats near her. Team Penguin neared the hawk too.

Violet walked toward the berry bush.

Claws, together with a cream-colored cat with pink patches, and two kittens, followed Violet.

A black she-cat with green eyes led Crystal toward the bushes.

But most of the cats stayed with Flames.

Tiger dipped her head at Flames before walking near the penguins.

"Okay then, so is this your final decision?" Flames asked the pack.

Everyone nodded.

"Okay, Steph. You may now take your group to the secret agency you speak of." Flames said, flicking his paw dismissively.

"C'mon guys." Steph told the penguins. "You lead from here. I'll lead from above." Steph said, flying up high. She back-flipped in the air before zipping up higher.

"Pssh… Show off." Skipper mumbled.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_So… that was kinda… short…_**


	16. Chapter 16: Newbie Program

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 16: Newbie Program**

"Pssh… Show off." Skipper mumbled.

Steph swooped down and landed right in front of Skipper, "And what? Your "_wings"_are better than _mine_?" Steph growled.

"Guys! Guys! Stop da fighting! We are going to da HQ remember?" Hans reasoned.

"Hmph!" Steph said before flying up high again.

When they got to the lake, Agent Steph dropped her I.D in the lake. The water split and the hatch was revealed.

Everyone watched as she perched on the hatch, pulled out a tail-feather and placed it on the feather shape on the hatch. The penguin team tilted their heads in confusion.

She never did this before…

Agent Steph quickly grabbed her I.D and flew up high. The water in the lake flowed back to normal and a secret staircase opened on the ground in front of the group of cats.

"STAIRS? You actually had _STAIRS!?_ Why couldn't you use these stair on OUR first day?!" Johnson complained.

The question was ignored and Steph turned to the cats.

"Okay, Listen up! This is part of our little program to welcome new recruits! Just step down there, use your instincts and you'll get a surprise if you do the right thing!" Steph said in a friendly tone.

"Alright! I love ze prizes!" Hans said happily, marching toward the staircase.

"OH NO you don't!" Steph squawked, swooping down and hitting Hans' side, causing him to fall flat on his bum.

"This is STRICTLY for new recruits. You were just transferred here for your own safety…" Steph said. "You're coming with me."

Johnson and Hans slumped, walking toward the hatch with Skipper.

Steph flew up and fell straight in the hatch after them, landing on her feet. When she saw the Penguin Team up and standing, she pointed at a glass window.

Skipper looked through it and saw the cats sitting on slowly moving chairs coming toward them.

"Here, we'll test their knowledge." Steph narrated, pointing at the chemistry set right infront of them.

"_Chemistry_? For _begginners_?" Johnson chuckled.

Steph rolled her eyes.

Violet was the first cat to reach the set. She sniffed the bottles carefully then picked on up. She poured it in another one and made a purple liquid. She stirred it with the stirring rod and watched it become pink. Then she poured in something that looks like pink dust and stirred it some more.

Then she sniffed it, grinning. She poured the newly made mixture on a bowl, dipped her paw in and rubbed it on her fur.

Then she washed her paw in clean water before settling down on her chair, smiling at herself. The a bowl of cooked fish dropped down in front of her as a reward.

Hans glanced at Steph, who was nodding her head approvingly.

"She created a perfume. Not bad for a newbie…" Steph commented.

The chair moved to give way for others and Violet was pushed off her chair and towards an obstacle course. She narrowed her eyes and jumped through hoops, and climbed up walls perfectly. Even her landing was perfect.

"Brains AND Agility huh? Not bad… But can she handle THIS!?" Steph said, punching a button on her control panel.

Instantly, Knock-out darts were flying toward Violet.

Johnson gasped.

Violet saw the darts just in time and dodged. Then another set of darts were flung at her. She jumped over it with a panicked look on her face.

Steph punched the button again and Violet was targeted by many more darts. "STOP! Please!" Johnson shrieked and Steph narrowed her eyes at him.

Meanwhile Violet fluffed out her fur and flicked the darts away with her tail, making them hit the glass window instead. When the darts hit the window, it made a loud THONK.

The team and the hawk inside stared at the cat outside.

Violet narrowed her eyes and approached the window.

"She can't see the window. Outside, it looks like a part of a wall." Steph said.

Violet poked the window with her paw, sure enough it made thonking sounds.

Violet let out her claws and scratched the window, drawing a circle in the glass. She poked it again and the circular piece of glass fell in and broke.

She peered nervously in the hole she made. "Oh hey, Skipper! How are those leaves working for yah?" she said when she spotted the bird.

"It's… it's fine, I guess." Skipper said, patting his leaf-made bandage.

Violet took one glance at the others and jumped beside Skipper. "I suppose you're going to introduce me to your friends now?" She meowed.

"OH!uh… This is Hans and Johnson." Skipper said, pointing at the two penguins patching up the hole. "My team… or… what's left of it…" He murmured. Johnson started sniffing and Hans ducked his head in grief.

"And uh… this is Agent Steph… anie Shores." Steph scowled at Skipper for stating her real name, but he just smirked and went on. "I'm sure you heard about her from Flames."

"Ah, yes… You're little girlfriend. I believe you kicked me off her earlier." Violet growled.

"GIRLFRIEND?" Steph screeched her protest. She then neared the she-cat. "Let me set this straight, kitty cat. I am NOT his GIRLFRIEND! Kapeesh?"

Violet giggled. "Geez, bird-brain. I'm just kidding… I'm Violet by the way."

Steph took a deep breath and calmed down. "I… I saw your performance a while ago."

"That was a performance?" Violet said, blushing. "What about it?"

"Brains and Agility. These are two things that are present in an excellent recruit. Two things that you actually have. We might have a very good place for you here, soldier." Steph complimented, resting her wing on the cat's shoulder.

Violet smiled.

"Okay! Let's go meet some of your kitty-cat friends, shall we?" Steph said, extending her wing toward a door.

Once through the door, Violet turned her attention to the cave-like door where her fellow cats were streaming in. Some covered in ashes, bumps or bruises.

Two cream-colored kittens, one with green eyes and one with blue were bouncing around and chatting loudly. They spotted Violet, they bounded toward her excitedly.

"VIOLET! VIOLET! THERE YOU ARE!" They mewled in unison.

"Tulip! Lily! There are those sweet little angels!" Violet smiled.

"GUESS WHAT WE DID!" The one with green eyes yelled.

"What _did_ you do, Tulip?" Violet said, sitting down.

"Well…" Tulip started.

"When we went in the room…" Lily continued.

"We saw this tray of bottles with colored water in them!"

"Then we mixed them randomly…"

"And created…"

"A MAJOR EXPLOSION!" Lily said, extending her paws in the air.

"It burned my tail-fur!" Tulip said, raising her tail up high.

Violet saw the burnt spot on her tail. _That's got to hurt_ she thought.

"Then during the obstacle thingy our parents told us to be careful on…" Lily said, jumping up and down.

"I had to clump on top of Lily's head!"

"Just to climb up that silly wall!"

"Then Lily pulled me up by my tail…"

"And when we got up, Tulip lost her balance and fell right on top of me!" Lily laughed.

Tulip joined the laughter.

"Okay you two. Settle down and rush to your father. You've done enough damage already!" An adult cream-colored she-cat with pink patches said, nudging the two away.

"Terribly sorry, Violet. The twins are a bit… more hyper than usual today." She muttered.

"Oh it's no bother, Rose. Tulip and Lily are too cute and adorable to be angry at…" Violet said.

"Maybe for you…"

Then suddenly they heard a penguin yowl in alarm. Violet looked at a penguin being tackled playfully by the twins.

"Ugh! Tulip! Lily! Can't you two go five minutes without getting into trouble?" Rose hissed, bounding over to her daughters.

Violet heard the flapping of wings and turned around to see Steph.

"Who was that?" Steph asked, smirking.

"My brother's sister-in-law and her daughters..." Violet meowed, smoothing her fur with a well-licked paw.

Steph cocked her brow.

"Er… Rose and her daughters Tulip and Lily." Violet pointed out.

"Ah… Anyways I'm here to announce your team." Steph said.

"MY team?"

Steph nodded. "Your team mates will be the two hyper-brats a while ago and some cat named Michael…Why is his name not so… foresty?" Steph asked. But the question went unnoticed.

"MIKEY?! He's my brother! He's a slender white tom with black and brown patches and yellow eyes!" Violet said, smiling.

"Your brother's name is Mikey?!" Johnson asked from behind her.

Violet's fur fluffed up in alarm as she jumped. But she smoothed it when she realized it was just the Penguin Team.

"Yes.. We were both human's pets before then we decided to go out and into the wild." Violet explained.

"Okay then… C'mon now… Let's get you and your team together." Steph said, leading them toward another room.

Violet looked excited to introduce them to her brother, but they didn't know why.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	17. Chapter 17: A New Mission

**_CHAPTER 17! _**

**_This is _**_NOT__** the best chapter, but it's pretty good… so… **_

**_READ ON!_**

* * *

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 17: A New Mission**

"My team mates gathered all the newbies and sent them to their rooms." Steph explained. "I expect Talon, Genevieve and Scratch will be there as well as _your_ team mates, Violet."

"Why are you so excited to introduce us to Michael anyway?" Johnson asked.

"Well for one, we're littermates. And he's very kind and giving and fun!" Violet said.

"Sounds like a brodah to be proud of." Hans concluded.

When they approached the rooms, they passed by a tom being pushed by a falcon.

"Hey! Easy with the tailfur!" the tom complained.

"Michael!" Violet exclaimed, running toward him.

"Vi!" Michael replied. The falcon stepped back as the two rubbed their faces against each other.

"I haven't seen you ever since those penguins were in the picture. How are you?" Michael asked.

"I'm fine! I've been hanging out with Agent Stephanie and the penguins…. Hey guys!" Violet called, turning to the penguin team.

"This is Michael. The cat I told you 'bout."

"Greetings, Tom-cat. I'm Skipper and this is my team, Johnson and Hans." Skipper said, pointing at the two birds. "Pleased to meet you, Michael."

Steph's eyes widened at the mention of his name and she flew toward the tom and landed right in front of him.

"Ah, so _you're _Michael. I believe you are Violet's brother, am I right?" Steph said.

"Uh.. yes… Yes I am."

"What are your strengths? Weaknesses? How was your performance in our little program?" "Um… er… actually… um… I can't really describe…" Michael stammered.

"Talon!" Steph shouted.

Immediately, the falcon stood straight in front of Steph.

"Did you watch this cat perform in the program?"

Talon nodded.

"Was he good in our first trial?"

Talon hesitated, looking at the ground.

"Hmm… Was he good in the Obstacle Course?" Steph asked.

Talon nodded. "Hand-to-hand combat?" Steph asked again.

Talon gave her a slight smile and nodded again.

"Well! I guess you have a very good position in this unit, Michael." Steph complimented.

Michael puffed out his chest proudly.

"I'd guess you're wondering why your sister is commander and not you." Steph said.

"Not at all. I know that my sister has the brains _and_ the agility and she is fit to be commander." Michael answered casually.

"Indeed. And since you are obviously better than the two hyper-brats there." Steph rolled her eyes, pointing at the two chatting and giggling near one of the doors. "I'm placing you in the position of Lieutenant."

"_Really_?" Michael said excitedly.

"Yes, _really_… Now, Violet. Here are the keys to your team room." Steph flung a set of keys at the newly made leader.

"Make yourself at home, and good luck." Steph said. Then she turned to Skipper.

"Speaking of home, Skipper, you have a video call from your home. Someone named Doc wants to see you and your team. Genevieve, would you be so kind as to bring this team to the Communication Room?" Steph asked.

"With pleashah. Right this way." Genevieve smiled, leading the team into another hall.

When they got the Communication Room, they were led to a big screen.

"Skipper! I see you have arrived in your new destination. How are you adjusting in the new environment?" Doc asked from the screen.

"It's fine. Brought in some new recruits. We're fine here, Doc. You don't really need to check on us." Skipper said.

Doc looked disappointed but lightened up as she continued. "But I wasn't the one who wanted to check on you. Uh.. Benjamin?" she called.

"Skippah! Skippah! I miss you _so _much! Look! I'm all bettah now!" Benjamin exclaimed.

"That's great, Private!" Skipper said.

"Skippah, when ah you cumin' back here?" Benjamin asked.

"Um… er…" Skipper looked at his team mates, obviously looking for options.

"Uh…_ soon_, Benjamin. Soon." Johnson said, smiling.

"Great! Um… I wanna call yah moh often. I wanna keep in touch with you, Skippah. And so does your mothah. Although she's busy now. She just wanted to tell you to take care always… Okay! Thanks foh answering, Skippah! Byee!" Then the screen went black.

"Dat was kinda weird." Hans commented.

"Yes. Yes it was… C'mon men. Let's catch some shut-eye." Skipper said, sliding out of the room with Johnson and Hans following.

* * *

_5 years later…_

"Penguin team, your presence is requested in the main office." A voice called from the speaker.

"Vhat is it _now_?" Hans asked.

"Don't worry boys. Probably just another search-and-rescue or maybe a recon. Let's move!" Skipper ordered, sliding out.

"Skipper. I have received intel from Jessie through email. Apparently, some of the SMPF's important files have vanished and they believe that an enemy named Dr. Blowhole is behind it. And Jessie has sent _you_ to go retrieve it." Steph reported.

"Why us? They know we shouldn't set foot near Blowhole _or _his spies." Johnson said.

"No idea. It's _their _decision. So I'm excusing you from our normal routine and sending you out on your mission."

"Woohoo! It's been a _very_ long time since we last went on a mission." Skipper said.

"But there's something else." Steph added.

The team listened with interest.

"It's bad news."

"What _kind _of bad news?" Johnson asked.

"The little penguin… Benjamin, and his mother… mysteriously disappeared."

They gasped.

"She said that they disappeared a few years before now... Just had the guts to tell you now... Don't know why, though. It is also said that they left without a trace. So I'm adding _that_ little sprinkle of sunshine to your mission list." Steph said. "Okay.. The destination of your enemy's secret lair is in the desert. It's a bit far, so we're traveling in the air. Same way you got here. Remember? AND… you get to experience something Skipper experienced before." Steph chuckled.

Skipper's eyes widened. "W…. we're sky diving into that accursed desert?" Skipper guessed.

Steph laughed. "Of course you are! I don't want to go in that pile of sand in my favorite helicopter.

Johnson looked afraid. Steph could here small whimpers coming from the team.  
"My team and I will come and fetch you after 12 hours in the desert. That should be enough time for you to find and retrieve those stolen files."

Skipper nodded.

"Great. Now get ready. We leave at precisely 0900 hours." Steph said, pointing at the clock that showed 8:00AM.

The team immediately slid out the door to get ready.

TO BE CONTINUED…

* * *

**_ YEAH! YEAH! I KNOW! That was _**_DEAD__** short. But I have this exam coming up and I'm **__REALLY__** sleepy. I need some rest… er… **_

_REVIEW__**! I **__PROMISE__** that the next chapter will be longer, **__IF __**you…**_

**_REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_REVIEW AND I WILL MAKE THE NEXT CHAPTER LONGER AND SO MUCH BETTER!_**

**_(trust me… I have a really nice twist in the next chapter… that is… if you review…)_**


	18. Chapter 18: Twists

**_WARNING: This is the longest chapter POMlovah has ever made. _**

**_Disclaimer: POMlovah does NOT own PoM… _**

**_OVER AND OUT!_**

**_READ ON! _**

* * *

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 18: Twists**

Somewhere in the desert, a helicopter was seen. Two penguins and a puffin skydived from it, a hawk waved good-bye from the flying machine.

The three pulled on a string on their bags and parachutes came out, slowing their fall.

A flat-headed one looked around. "Tell me what I'm looking at, Johnson" He said when he landed safely on the sand with a soft thud.

A tall one with messy head-feathers and wearing a blue backpack _also_ landed with a thud beside him. "Sand as far as the eye can see, Skipper. Not _a thing_ suspicious looking anywhere." He reported.

Then they heard a **_THONK_** and both of them turned to see that the puffin had already landed and was examining the ground below him.

"Um… guyz?" the puffin said in his Danish accent. "Dis is not sand." He stomped his feet, making more thonking sounds.

"Well, what do we know… Nice work, Hans!" Skipper complimented.

Hans smiled.

"But what do we do? There doesn't seem to be a switch of some sort any where." Johnson asked.

"Well yyah… But der is dis handle." Hans said, pulling on the handle he had just found.

Johnson's eyes widened.

"Well what are you waiting for, Johnson!? Pull!" Skipper ordered.

Johnson shook his head and rushed toward the handle to help his team mates, who were already pulling.

"It's …UMMFF… quite… heavy…" Johnson said.

"Pull harder!" Skipper yelled, causing the two others to pull with even more effort.

"WOAH!" They all said in unison as the little trap door suddenly burst open.

"Great. Let's move." Skipper said before silently sliding toward the hole with the rest of his team.

They landed on some kind of metal bridge hanging from the celling.

"Hey! What are _you _doing here?" a voice shouted from behind him.

It was a lobster. Immediately, Johnson pulled out a tranquilizer gun and shot him with a dart.

Then they quickly slid into hiding.

"Johnson, analysis." Skipper whispered.

"I see a door that is labeled 'Files' perhaps we should start looking there." Johnson said, pointing at a door below the metal bridge.

"And how vhill vhe get der vidout being noticed by da leopard seals and lobstahs?" Hans asked.

"Easy. Follow my lead." Skipper said, leading them into the shadows.

They jumped from the bridge and landed right beside the door labeled 'Files'. Johnson slowly opened it and they all crept inside.

They found themselves in a room full of shelves and drawers.

"Spread out, men. It could be anywhere. Search cautiously." Skipper said before they all split up.

It took them 15 seconds before Hans shouted out, "Uh… Guyz? I think I found something!"

Everyone slid toward the puffin.

"You think that's the one?" Skipper asked.

"It's something about a weapon of some sort. Some potion formulae here and there. And it seems that it comes from the SMPF… Yup. This is the one." Johnson said, patting the blue folder that concealed it.

"Well that was easy." Skipper commented. "Let's get outta here before - "

**~ENGK! ENGK! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! ENGK! ENGK!~**

"Oh heck! Let's go!" Skipper said, pointing at the door.

Then they all slid toward the door, but some lobsters opened it, snapping their lobster claws threateningly at them.

The team then slid toward the back door, but lobster came out of it too. They were cornered.

Soon, they were pressed against the wall, surrounded by plenty of lobsters.

One of them threw a round-ish thing near them.

It excreted some kind of gas hit them it's smell was so strong that it knocked them out cold.

* * *

Skipper groaned. _Wh… what happened?_ He thought. Then he remembered. They were on a mission to retrieve a stolen file, but then they were compromised and were knocked out by a knockout bomb.

Everything was still a bit blurry to him. He blinked his eyes twice and everything was clear.

He and his team were in separate cages. Hans was still unconscious but he heard some faint groaning from Johnson.

"Hans? Johnson? Are you okay?" Skipper whispered.

"S… Skipper? Is… Is that you?" Johnson asked, sitting up.

"Yes. Is Hans alright?"

"I think so. I can see the rise and fall of his stomach. He's still breathing." Johnson replied.

"Ugghhh…" groaned Hans.

"And now he's awake." Johnson reported.

"Where are we?" Hans asked.

Johnson looked around. They were in an empty room (really empty) with no air vents and only one door. There was only one small window way up in the wall that gave them oxygen.

"I'm not really sure." Johnson said, scratching his head.

"Well _I'm _sure that wherever we are, Blowhole _will_ come for us. And I bet he'll have a nasty surprise." Skipper concluded.

"Well, right you are, _Skipper_." A high-pitched voice said.

"Blowhole!" Skipper shouted, looking around.

"Hah! You peng-yoo-wins are so-o-o-o predictable."

"What do you want with us, sea mammal!?" Skipper hissed.

"I don't think it's about what _I _want with _you_. I think it's about what _you_ want from _me_." Blowhole replied, appearing from the darkness right in front of them.

Hans looked confused.

"I believe you want this?" Blowhole said, holding up the blue folder that contained the stolen files.

Johnson gasped, looking around his cage for his backpack.

"And this?" the dolphin smirked, holding up Johnson's blue backpack.

"Ugh. He's good." Johnson murmured.

"Ha-ha-h-aa-h-a! For once, I got some of SMPF's peng-yoo-wins at their weakest point! Face it! You can't escape! And now I can exact my revenge."

"What's your plan, Blowhole?!" Skipper shouted.

"Oh I'd love to tell you. But I'm afraid that's my little secret. Now, if you don't mind, I have some work to do. I'll leave you to my little friends, here." Blowhole said, glancing at the now-open door that revealed three hungry leopard seals outside.

"Greetings, Skipper. Remember me?" A female one smiled evilly.

"_Amy_!" Hans growled.

And with one final evil laugh, Blowhole rolled out of the room, carrying the backpack and the files with him.

"Wh… what are you gonna do to us?" Johnson stammered. He found it hard to contain his fear.

"Oh don't worry, Johnson! We're not gonna kill you three… yet." Amy smirked.

"Dat does not answer da question. Vhat are you gonna do to us?" Hans repeated.

"Yeah… What _are_ we gonna do to them, Amy?" The other one asked.

"Shush it, Trish!" Amy growled. "You'll know it when you feel it!" she said, turning to the trapped birds.

"Trish, you're with the puffin. Chris, you're with Johnson. I'll deal with Skipper." Amy ordered. The two leopard seals nodded before turning to their assigned birds.

"Oh, so you have your own little team now, huh?" Skipper cocked his brow when Amy approached her. "And I'd guess _you're_ their leader?"

"Be quiet! I hate spoiling a meal, so don't make it harder that it already is." Amy bared her teeth at him and growled.

Skipper ended up stepping backward to the other end of the cage only to be pulled out by the carnivore's teeth.

"Let _go_ of me!" Skipper said, as he was thrashed side-to-side by the seal. But his efforts to pull himself out were useless. They only made his wounds grow bigger and deeper.

Then suddenly he was flung toward the wall, making him hit it hardly, falling back on the floor and injuring his wing.

Then he was prodded up by Amy's tail only to be flung toward the celling then smashed against the floor by the seal's flipper.

He felt weak. Like all the strength in him was swept away. Everything was blurry and he could hardly see anything. Everywhere in his body stinged. And he felt like some his bones were broken.

Skipper glanced around for a second only to see that his teammates were treated the same way.

Hans' foot was twisted in a weird way and he couldn't get up either. Johnson on the other hand had a hard time getting up. He tried to stand up but the weakness of his body made him fall on the floor again.

The leopard seal grabbed Skipper with her mouth and threw him back on the ground. Then punched him until he was unconscious.

* * *

"Skipper!"

Skipper's eyes shot open and he sat up. He winced at the pain of everything. The wounds were still bleeding a bit and his flipper still hurt.

"Skipper, are you o… okay?" He heard Johnson's weak voice.

"Y… yeah… I'm… I'm fine." Skipper replied. He looked at Johnson. He was sitting up but leaning against the wall of his cage, freshly decorated with wounds and bruises that were obviously starting to heal.

Hans was sitting in his cage, eyes wide and body shivering. He looked afraid. He too was injured. His foot was obviously broken and his body was full of bruises.

Then suddenly, they heard voices outside.

"Yes, yes. I know. I just have to do this broadcast with the SMPF… Now do your job correctly this time." Blowhole's voice said.

"Okay…" another voice asked.

The team looked at the door as it opened.

"Hello, Peng-yoo-wins! How's everything?" Blowhole smirked.

"Stinging and painful." Skipper growled.

"Excellent. Now I have a little surprise for you. Let's go give your SMPF peng-yoo-win allies a chance, shall we? My little friend will see you know." And with that, the dolphin rolled out.

"Oh dear. Not another one…" a tall, muscular penguin walked in the room.

Skipper gasped. He looked very familiar.

The penguin glanced at him and his eyes widened.

"Cody!?" he gasped.

"D… dad?" Skipper asked.

Johnson gasped. "Jon?"

"_Cody! _Why are you here? I… er… Blowhole told me - "

The shock left Skippers face as he was filled with anger. "What am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here? In Dr. Blowhole's lair… helping him?!"

"Cody, let me explain –"

"Just stop it, dad! Just… _stop!_" Skipper snapped. "Do whatever you need to do. I don't care."

Jon looked sad while unlocking Johnson's cage, grabbing his flippers, bringing him to another room, and taking one last glance at his son before leaving the room with his 'captive'.

* * *

"Greetings, Secret Military Peng-yoo-win _fools_!" Blowhole said to the TV screen.

"_Blowhole_! What are you doing in our screens?" Jessie's voice asked.

Skipper looked up. His flippers were tied around a pole behind him.

The rest of his team was on different poles.

Dr. Blowhole was broadcasting live with the SMPF.

"I just thought you would want to be informed that I've got your favorite little penguin team captive." Blowhole smiled evilly.

"No… You couldn't have found them! They're hidden for their own safety!" Silvia's voice was heard.

"I didn't need to find them! _They_ came to _me_. Obviously they were sent on a secret mission." Blowhole glanced at Jessie, who scowled.

"No! You weren't able to catch them! They're stealthy just like we trained them." Jessie defended.

Skipper hung his head.

"Oh really? Why don't you see for yourselves?" Blowhole said, moving aside so that they could see.

Everyone gasped at what they saw: Two penguins and a puffin beat up and tied to poles.

"You've got _five hours_ to rescue them. If not…ha-h-a-h-a-ha!" Then he turned the TV off.

"Let us go!" Johnson shouted.

"I don't think pleading is allowed with your enemy now, would it?" Blowhole smirked. "Red one! Bring them back to their cages. I want them well guarded… This is the perfect plan to trap those peng-yoo-win agents and destroy them once and for all." Blowhole then rolled away in his one-wheeled scooter.

"I wasn't plea- OW!" Johnson said as he was smacked in the face by a lobster.

"QUIET!" He ordered.

Johnson whimpered.

Three lobsters untied them and threw them in their cages, locking them inside.

Skipper could see no escape. It would take a miracle for them to get out unnoticed now that the door was guarded.

After a few minutes, Jon's voice was heard outside.

"Let me in. Blowhole ordered me to check on them." He spoke.

"Alright." A lobster said, opening the door and letting Jon step inside.

Jon closed the door behind him and walked near Skipper's cage.

"Cody…"

"Nobody calls me that anymore. It's Skipper." Skipper said, crossing his flippers.

"I know. Blowhole told me everything. Your life, you team, your loss… Is Silvia okay?" Jon asked.

"Why would you care? You _betrayed_ us!" Skipper shouted.

"Look, I know it looks bad… But I joined him so that you'd be safe…" Jon reasoned.

"Does it _look like _I'm _safe_?! I'm in Blowhole's lair! Captured! Beat up! Does that _sound_ like it's safe?!" Skipper turned around and grumbled.

Jon paused then said, "I'm busting you out of here."

"Vhat?" Hans gasped.

"Skipper, you and your team need to get out, NOW. Blowhole's coming back and I know he won't let you live. Now, listen carefully. There's and tunnel behind that block on the wall over there. Follow it and keep turning right whenever there's a turn off... The short cut is very complicated so I can't tell you... Just keep going right and the tunnel'll lead you straight outside and into the desert." Jon instructed.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Skipper narrowed his eyes. As Jon began unlocking their cages.

"Trust me. I'll meet you outside while I try to cover the evi -"

He stopped as he heard Blowhole's voice outside. It was faint, but he knew he was coming.

"Hurry! We don't have much time!" Jon said, pointing at the hidden tunnel in the wall that Hans ran to and opened.

As soon as the trio slid in, Blowhole entered the room.

"**_JON_**_!? YOU LET THEM __**GO**__?!_" the dolphin exclaimed.

"Blowhole, I – GAH!" Jon shouted when the sea mammal grabbed him by the neck.

"I was gonna kill _them_, but I guess _you'll _have to do." Dr. Blowhole said, tightening his grip on the penguin's neck, choking him.

Jon's flippers were pushing against the dolphin's flipper, struggling to breath.

In the tunnel Johnson heard the desperate gasps for air and stopped.

"Johnson, what are you – **NO! JOHNSON! WAIT!**" Skipper shouted as Johnson slid back.

Everything was blurry. Jon felt weak because of his lack of oxygen and was about to give up when a knife came flying out of nowhere, slightly cutting the edge of the dolphin's flipper.

"AAURGGGH!" Blowhole shouted, letting go of Jon and tending to his bleeding flipper.

Jon fell to the ground, breathing heavily and rubbing his neck.

The dolphin saw Johnson and rolled toward him, growling his frustration.

He chased the penguin all around the room until they came to the corner. Johnson pressed himself against the wall, thinking of the possibilities of what will happen next.

"Finally, I've got you _ri-i-ight_ where I want you." Blowhole said, pulling out a gun.

Skipper and Hans slid out of the tunnel to see that the gun was pointing at Johnson.

"**JOHNSON! NOOO!**" Skipper shrieked. But he was too late. The psychotic dolphin pulled the trigger and there was a loud **BANG** and a gasp from the now-shot penguin.

Skipper stood there, staring at the body of his dead teammate. He seemed paralyzed with shock.

Johnson lay there on the floor. His chest was bleeding from where he was shot.

Jon suddenly pulled skipper into the tunnels. Blowhole noticed this and ordered the lobsters outside, "Get them!" he said, pointing at the hidden tunnel on the wall.

The lobsters began crawling through the tunnels, chasing the fleeing penguins.

Hans was taking lead, sliding down the tunnel quickly.

Jon overtook him and took them through a short cut. Once they got out and into the desert, Jon guided them away from the lair. Pushing the duo into hiding.

Once he was sure that they had lost them, he said, "The coast is clear, boys."

Hans stepped out of the bush looking rather confused. "Vhat just… happened?" he asked.

"We're in the desert. Your friend saved my life. Er… Johnson, was it?" Jon said.

When Hans nodded, he continued. "Poor lad. He risked his life, saving me..." Jon murmured.

"Who_ are_ you?" Hans cocked his brow.

"What? Well, surely Skipper has informed you… right?" Jon now looked confused.

"I _didn't_." Skipper growled. "My past was classified to him. But I guess your gonna blurt out everything now."

"Not everything." Jon sighed then turned back to the puffin. "My name is Jon Scott. Cody… er… Skipper's father."

Hans blinked. He was told that Skipper's father was dead.

Jon walked toward his son. "I'm sorry about your loss… I wish I could help –"

"Well you _can't_! I don't get you, dad! First you take sides with your _arch enemy_ and betray your whole family, _then_ you cause the _death_ of my teammate!? Don't you think you've helped _enough_?!" Skipper shouted then turned away from him.

"Skipper you _must_ understand that I only joined him so that you and Silvia would remain unharmed." Jon stammered.

Skipper didn't reply.

The purring of a helicopter interrupted their small conversation. They looked up and saw Jessie, Doc, and a bunch of other agents from the SMPF.

"Skipper! Hans! You're okay! And is that… _JON_?!" Jessie asked.

When the vehicle landed, Doc ran out of it, hugging Skipper.

"Skipper! I was really worried!... *gasp* You're injured! What happened?!" Doc asked him. Then she looked around.

"Wh… where's Johnson?" she asked.

"He… um… Blowhole shot him… He's gone." Skipper said sadly.

Doc gasped. "I'm so sorry, Skipper. You've lost much."

Skipper pushed Doc off him and sighed.

"C'mon guys! Lets get moving!" Jessie said, starting the helicopter again.

They all boarded the helicopter. It took off toward Antarctica.

Another helicopter flew by and saw the other one fly away.

"What the heck?" the female hawk driver said.

"Agent Steph! Do ya think those are the enemies?" A cream-colored kitten with blue eyes said excitedly.

"Ooh! Are we ambushing them?" a look-alike kitten smiled.

"No… I can give a wild guess on who the driver is and where they're going… But we're following this helicopter and we'll see what we can find out." Steph said, making the flying vehicle go faster.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**WOOWEE! **_That __**was a long chapter! **_

**_Hope enjoyed it…_**

**_Oh yeah and uh I can guess what you're thinking:_**

**_WHAT! JON'S ALIVE!?_**

**_And_**

**_WHY DID YOU MAKE JOHNSON DIE!?_**

**_*smirks* Yeah… As always, I planned this all ahead of time._**

**_Okie dokie! I hope you liked the length of this one._**

**_It's pretty long…_**

**_And I guess _**_you__** can guess what I'm going to say next…**_

**_ ..._**

**_REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_REVIEW SO I WILL CONTINUE! :D _**


	19. Chapter 19: Backstories (part 1)

**_Hey there…. I was kind of busy for the last two months so I couldn't post anything, BUT I could write. So I did 2 chapters of HIAB, …_**

**_Chapter 19 and 20 would be about flashbacks so you can understand what happened. _**

**_ENJOY and READ ON!_**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 19: Backstories (part 1)**

"I don't understand! How could you still be alive? I mean… We were told that you were killed by a leopard seal when you were defending Silvia and the egg." Jessie said.  
Jon tapped his beak. "Well, it's a long story… I – "

"Jessie! Enemy helicopter behind us!" Doc reported, looking out the open door of the helicopter.

"Hang on! I'll try to shake them off our tail." Jessie ordered.

Everyone buckled their seatbelts and Jessie drove the helicopter toward a bunch of sand mountains.

She went up, left and right through the mountains, but it was still following them.

"Team Bait & Tackle! You're up!" Jessie shouted.

Some of the agents unbuckled and pulled out weapons. They peered out the door then began shooting at it.

But the helicopter dodged everything.

Jon unbuckled and grabbed a random weapon just lying around. He aimed and fired…

**_*BOOM!*_**

A direct hit on its propeller! The helicopter went spinning out of control. The animals riding it jumped out with parachutes except for two flying birds: A hawk and a falcon.

The hawk flew toward them and when it was close enough, the armed penguins aimed at it.

"Woah, woah, woah! Hold your fire, boys." It said. It sounded like a female.

"_Steph!?_" Jessie gasped.

"_Jessie_! _You_ owe _us_ a helicopter!" Steph squawked, pointing at the helicopter that had just exploded on the ground below.

The falcon neared them with two cream-colored kittens, squealing in delight in his talons. He held them by their scruffs.

"That was **AWSOME**!" The one with green eyes said.

"You said it, Tulip! AGAIN! AGAIN!" The blue-eyed one replied.

Once the two kittens were on board, the falcon jumped back out to fetch the others.

…

(Jessie pushed the auto-pilot button in the helicopter, okay?!)

"WHY THE **HECK** WOULD YOU BLAST OUR HELICOPTER!?" Steph yelled at Jessie once everyone was safe and sound in the helicopter.

"We just thought you were an enemy helicopter." Doc explained.

"Well **EXCUSE ME** when I say your **PARANOIA CAP** has been glued to you SMPF agent's **HEADS**!" Steph shrieked.

A violet-eyed cat approached the hawk. "Cool down, Steph." She said, stroking her feathers with a paw.

Jon lifted his head. "I'm the one that shot it down and I am terribly sorry." Then he turned to Skipper. "And Skipper, you were supposed to retrieve a file, right?"

"Yes…" Skipper said.

"Here." Jon said, pulling a blue backpack out of seemingly nowhere and handing it to him.  
Skipper and Hans gasped. "_Johnson's backpack_!"

Skipper grabbed it and scanned the things inside. After a while, he pulled out a blue folder. "The files!" Jessie exclaimed. "Well done, Jon! You helped them complete their mission! It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back and out of that accursed place Blowhole calls a lair." Jon replied.

"That reminds me…. Vhat happened to Private and his mother? Vhe didn't quite scratch the surface on _that_ mission yet." Hans asked.

"Oh, yes. Right… They disappeared in the night. None of our agents saw them and our cameras were tampered with. We searched the whole area but there was no sign of them." Jessie said.

"Have you searched the – **GAH! WHAT WAS THAT**!?" Skipper shouted.

"What was what?" Doc asked.

"I felt something soft pass my foot… It startled me…" Skipper narrowed his eyes and looked around.

One of the agents in the helicopter gasped. "I felt it too!"

Skipper scanned the seats and saw something moving under them.  
"Doc!" He shouted just when that something raced out of under the seats. Doc grabbed it before it could hide under another set of seats.

It was a small-ish penguin(about half the size of Skipper) with dark gray feathers.

"Benjamin!?" everyone gasped(except for Skipper, who said "Private")

"H… Hey guys…" the 11 year old Benjamin said in a shy voice.

"**PRIVATE**!" Skipper shouted with glee, unbuckling and rushing to hug the little one.

"Skippah?" Benjamin's face lit up when he hugged him.

"I missed you so much! I thought something _terrible_ happened to you!" Skipper said as tears began falling down his cheeks.

"Skippah, are you crying?" Benjamin asked.

"He's been through a lot." Doc said.

Skipper let him go then held him by the shoulders. "What happened to you? Where's your mother?" He said with great urgency.

"I… I…" Benjamin stammered, then started groaning, holding his stomach.

"Easy there, Skipper. I'd guess he's hungry." Jessie said, throwing him three small fishes.

Skipper gave it to Benjamin and he gobbled it all up. Then he lay on his back and smiled.

"Thanks… I almost couldn't remembah how fish tasted like." The little one said.

"Now… start from the beginning… what happened?" Doc said slowly.

"*gulp* okay… here it goes… It was back when I was still 6 when my mom said we were going somewhere." Benjamin started.

_~Flashback~_

_"Benjamin, we're going somewhere…" Eloise told her son._

_"Are we going on a trip, ma?" Benjamin asked excitedly._

_"… Something like that… Actually… We're going away… forevah…" _

_"Forevah? Why?" Benjamin said._

_"Well… Let's just say we can't stay here anymore." _

_"But…"_

_"C'mon… We have to go, now." _

_"B… but… I…" _

_"NOW, Benjamin." Eloise growled._

_Benjamin whimpered as her irises glowed bright red._

_Eloise brought Benjamin out of the room. She spotted a camera and snuck under it. Then she pulled it out and cut the wires._

_She then slid out of every hall, avoiding all the agents, and out the door._

_She continued sliding with her son, away from the SMPFHQ._

_"M…mom?" Benjamin said._

_"Yes?" _

_"Are… Are we evah gonna come back?" _

_"Hopefully not, Benjamin… Hopefully not." Eloise replied._

_A few weeks later…_

_"Mom? Can we stop? I'm so hungry!" Benjamin complained._

_"But you ate the last time we stopped! And that was the ride on the boat just a few hours ago!" Eloise narrowed her eyes._

_Then she stopped, gazing at the area in front of her._

_"Uuh… What are you looking at?" Benjamin asked._

_Eloise didn't reply. She just kept staring at the area._

_Benjamin followed her gaze and saw that the land in front of them was dry, hot, and full of sand. _

_"D…desert…" Eloise murmured._

_Benjamin set his foot on the sand in front of him, only to flinch away. "HOT! HOT!" he shrieked._

_"B…but… H…how could we have ended up here!? I…" Eloise talked to herself._

_"Mom, what should we do, then?" Benjamin said._

_"We cross it." _

_"Penguins in a desert? Isn't that a bit… Ironic?" Benjamin pointed out._

_Then suddenly they heard growling from behind them._

_They spun around, looking for where the sound came from._

_Then three furry animals jumped out of nowhere and crept slowly toward them. _

_"M…m…mom!?" Benjamin whimpered. "Wh… what is that?" _

_"Badgers…Why would badgers be __**here**__ at __**this**__ hour!?" Eloise complained._

_Then suddenly, the biggest of the three jumped right in front of them. It shoved Eloise aside, pushing her into the sand._

_The other two crept toward Benjamin, who was now pinned down by the largest._

_Benjamin struggled to get free. The badger snarled, baring its teeth at the young one._

_Eloise's eyes (note: only the irises) turned red. "Don't you __**dare**__ touch him, you furry freaks!" She said, running at the furry animals._

_She grabbed the tail of the largest one and threw it toward the other two, making them fall on the floor._

_"M…m…mom?" Benjamin stammered, looking at her mother like he didn't recognize her._

_Eloise looked at herself. Her feathers were very ruffled and she knew that her eyes were red again. But there was something different…_

_"F…f…fangs?" Benjamin said._

_Eloise's eyes widened and she felt her beak. Sure enough, there were fangs…_

_"What… What happened to you?" Benjamin asked._

_"I… I… The scientist… The lab… The potions… *gasp*" She turned her attention to the badgers, who were helping each other up, preparing for another ambush._

_"RUN!" She ordered her son before one of the furry creatures slammed into her body, pinning her down._

_"But mom!" Benjamin cried._

_"No… umf! … Buts… I need you to run… urgh!… Now…" She said, slipping away from the badger's grip._

_Then one of the badgers turned its attention toward the young penguin._

_"NOW!" Eloise said, kicking the badger's muzzle._

_Benjamin turned and ran, ignoring the hot sand beneath his feet. He had no idea where he was going. But anywhere was good as long as it was away from those badgers._

_Tears were rolling down his cheeks. What was to happen to his mother now?_

_After a few minutes of running fast, he tripped and fell on the ground, covering his face with hot sand._

_He dusted it off and looked around. _

_Sand… sand… sand… he could see nothing else but sand… Wherever he was, he knew he couldn't find his way back._

_"Are you 'kay, matie?" A voice said behind him._

_He turned his head around and saw a young, female elf owl staring at him._

_"Oh my stars, ye're a penguin, aren't ya? A penguin in the desert, isn't that a bit… a bit ironic there?" She smiled._

_Benjamin tilted his head._

_"Oh, hehe… right… M'name's Jessica. And you are?" she said._

_"Um… er…" Benjamin stammered._

_"Oh yeah, right. You city folk don' like talkin' tah strangers… Well don't yah worry. I'm a friend… Say, you look depressed. Yah wanna know what keeps them depression 'way? Mini golf!" Jessica said, pulling out a mini golf club out of seemingly nowhere._

_Benjamin stood up and looked at the owl._

_"Hey, if ye're gonna try out for the mini golf champee-onship, you gotta have a stage name… How 'bout Mr. Tux? You sure look like ye're wearing a tuxedo…" Jessica said, putting a little red bowtie on his chest._

_"Okay… sure, Jessica." Benjamin said, trying to sound friendly._

_"C'mon. I'll show ya how the game works…" she began._

_A FEW YEARS LATER…_

_'Mr. Tux' kept running. He couldn't have stayed after what he just did. He dropped his bowtie and his favorite club, swearing not to play the game ever again… Then he heard something and stopped._

_It sounded like a flying vehicle was about to land on the sand. He saw familiar faces in the helicopter, but wasn't sure if they were the ones he thought they were. So when everyone wasn't looking, he jumped in the vehicle just when it landed and hid under one of the seats…_

_~End of the flashback~_

"And that's how I got here…" Benjamin ended.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_So... Now the secret's out… _**

**_To those who didn't get it, let me explain.._**

**_Eloise got experimented on by scientists, making her wild whenever she's angry._**

**_And yeah, I fitted the Mr. Tux thing into here._**

**_Now, you can guess what I'm gonna say next…_**

**_Yup…_**

**_REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!_**

**_REVIEWS ARE IMPORTANT SO…_**

**_REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!_**


	20. Chapter 20: Backstories (part 2)

**_So… Chapter 19 was about Benjamin/Private's flashback and now, it's about…_**

**_DRUM ROLL PLEASE!_**

**_…_**

**_JON'S FLASHBACK!_**

**_WOOHWEE!_**

**_Read On!_**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 20: Backstories (part 2)**

"So… You don't know what happened to Eloise after that?" Doc said.  
"No. I don't… And I don't wanna know…" Benjamin shut his eyes tight as the possibilities flooded into his brain.

"Well, it's either she's been killed by the badgers or she's gone completely feral. So whatever we do, we can't get her back… I'm so sorry for you, Benjamin." Jessie said.

The young penguin ducked his head in greif.

"Well, all that matters now is that Private is safe. And he _will_ remain safe because you'll take care of him, right Doc?" Skipper said, cocking his brow.

"Yes…" Doc said.

"Okay, agents! Prepare to land…" Jessie said, taking hold of the controls.  
Skipper held Benjamin's flipper, keeping him balanced as they landed.

When Skipper jumped out, he heard his mother's familiar voice.

"Skipper! You're okay!" Silvia said, rushing to hug her son.

"Of course I am." Skipper tried to smile.

Then Jon jumped out and stared at Silvia.

Silvia gasped when she saw him and Skipper stepped aside.

Silvia tilted her head and slowly neared him.

"Who… How…" She stammered.

"Silvia… It's me…" Jon said, stepping forward.

Silvia raised a flipper and slowly placed it on his cheek. Then her eyes were full of joy, and relief. "Jon!" She said, hugging him tightly.

Tears of joy were falling down Silvia's cheeks. "You're alive!" She shouted.

Jon didn't reply but looked at her in the eye longingly.

Soon, a bunch of _other_ agents came out to greet Jon. They crowded around him like he was a star.

"Okay, okay. I know that you _all_ wanna know what happened to Jon, here. But he's tired from his journey. Let's give him some space, people!" Jessie ordered and everyone backed away from him.

Jon let out a yawn and Eloise smiled. Together, they walked toward their room in silence.

Skipper put his flipper to his beak and pretended to stop himself from puking.

Doc, who was beside him, giggled.

Slowly, most of the agents went to their _own_ rooms. It was getting late and everyone was looking forward to a good night's sleep. (except for the ones with look-out duties)

Skipper and Hans headed toward their team room.

"Woah, woah, woah! Where do you thing you're going!?" Steph said, blocking their way.

"To our rooms. It's almost light's out, you know." Skipper replied.

"We're going back to Denmark where the Search-and-rescue agency is…"

"by lunch time tomorrow." Jessie continued.

Steph narrowed her eyes.

"She's right, Steph." Violet said, beside the two cream-colored kits. "They need their rest. We should stay here for the night too."

Steph growled. "Fine." She said, letting Jessie lead her toward the guest rooms.

Then Hans and Skipper sadly went to their team room.

Skipper sat on Manfredi's bunk, rubbing the surface of it as if it were an old friend.

Hans lay down on _his_ bunk and thought about things and glanced at Johnson's bunk from time to time, only to burst out in tears.

"Hans, it may be only the two of us. But that doesn't mean we're not a team." Skipper said between sniffles.

"Yes. Skippah." Hans ducked his head.

"C'mon… It's… time to get some shut-eye." Skipper said, climbing onto his own bunk.

Hans buried his face in his pillow to stop him from crying.

Skipper sighed sadly and lay down.

**"1000 HOURS! LIGHT'S OUT, EVERYBODY!"** Doc's voice was heard.

And all the lights were switched off and everything became silent.

…

Skipper jumped out of his bunk and onto the floor, rubbing his eye.

Hans gave him his favorite coffee mug with fish coffee and Skipper sipped it.

"C'mon Hans. Let's go see what's happening out." Skipper said, opening the door. He noticed that two agents were standing beside the door outside.

"Hey! Vhat's vid the increased security?" Hans asked.

"You need protection. You were sent to Denmark so that you'd be safe. Jessie told us that you need to be guarded in your sleep." One of the agents told them.

Skipper looked insulted. _Just because Blowhole may be hunting us down, doesn't mean we can't take care of ourselves anymore!_ He thought, but kept his cool.

"Look… guys…" he sighed. "We don't need protection. We can defend ourselves, thank you very much."

"B…but Jessie said…" the other agent began.

"Hubba-hubba, Jessie said! You can leave now." Skipper growled.

The two agents exchanged a glance then shrugged, walking away.  
Hans blinked then shook his head. "Eh, Skippah? Shouldn't we look foh your father and your mother?"

"Oh yeah. Right. Hey guys! Do ya know where Jessie is?" Skipper called.

"Jessie's office!" he heard a reply.

Skipper immediately slid toward the said office together with Hans.

Hans opened the door and everyone inside looked at them. There was Jessie, Jon, Silvia, and Benjamin sitting on chairs.

"H…hi." Hans greeted.

"Good morning boys." Silvia smiled.

"Hans! Skipper! Come sit! Jon was _just_ about to explain to us what happened." Jessie said.

Skipper and Hans sat on vacant chairs and listened.

"Right… It all started when I was defending Silvia and the egg in that cave…" he said.

_~Flashback~_

_"…GO! RUN! RUN AWAY! AND __**DON'T**__ LOOK BACK!" Jon said, gently giving the egg to his love._

_Silvia hesitated but saw the urgency in Jon's eyes and nodded before heading for the back of the cave._

_Jon watched her go. Seeing that Jon was distracted, the leopard seal took its chance. It snapped its jaws at him, but Jon dodged and landed on its head._

_"Give it up! It's one against one! A trained leopard seal versus a __**highly**__ trained penguin. It's obvious who's gonna win – OOF!" He shouted as he was slapped off the seal's head._

_Jon slammed onto a wall and fell on the floor. He looked up to see __**three**__ leopard seals snarling at him.  
"Well, let's see about that, shall we?" The lead seal growled with satisfaction._

_"Woah…" Jon said, running around the cave with the seals hot on his heels._

_Then he was cornered, surrounded. There was nowhere to go._

_Then he smirked. "Congratulations, seals! You've caught a __**penguin**__!" _

_The other two chuckled as they neared the cornered penguin. But Jon jumped over them and grabbed the tail of the leftmost one, throwing it toward the other two._

_The two dodged it and slid toward the agent._

_Jon grunted and lunged at them, kicking one in the chest, sending it flying backwards._

_The last seal bared its teeth at him before sliding toward him._

_Jon tried to run, but before he could even move, the seal pinned him down._

_Jon lay on his back, breathing heavily in panic._

_"Nowhere to run, now!" The seal laughed evilly._

_Jon let out a loud caterwaul before being knocked out cold by the Antarctic predator and everything was dark._

_…_

_Jon opened his eyes, sat up, and rubbed his head. Everything was still blurry to him until he blinked his eyes twice. He gasped. He was in his archenemy's lair._

_But before he could react, sharp (lobster) claws held on to his flippers, holding him back._

_"Hey! Let me go!" Jon shouted, trying to pull his flippers free. But the more he pulled, the tighter the lobsters held on, practically crushing his flippers._

_"Well, well, well…" a familiar high-pitched voice said._

_Jon narrowed his eyes. "Blowhole! I __**knew**__ you were behind this!" _

_"Of course! Who __**else**__ would try to annihilate you and your family?" Blowhole said, circling the trapped penguin in his one-wheeled scooter._

_"Lo-o-bsters! Bring him to the dungeon." Blowhole ordered. At once, the lobsters holding Jon back pulled him toward a set of stairs._

_Once they were all down, they brought him in a room. The door to it was made of metal. When they went inside, Jon only saw a wooden 'bench' hanging on the wall by chains and a bunch of chains with cuffs on their ends were sticking out of the wall._

_The crustaceans set him on the bench and chained each of his flippers to the wall._

_Once their sharp claws were off him, Jon stood up and tried to attack them but the chains were on tight and were holding him back._

_"URGGH!" Jon growled in frustration, pulling as hard as he can. The lobsters left the room and shut the door, locking it tight._

_"No!" Jon shouted as he tried to pull his flippers free but it was no use._

_After a few moments of trying, he sat down, accepting his defeat. _

_A few hours later, he heard creaking coming from the door and looked up._

_"Helo-o-o, Jon!" The dolphin greeted._

_Jon rolled his eyes. "What are you doing here?"_

_"Long have I waited for this day, Jon. To see you, my arch foe, trapped and vulnerable." Blowhole said._

_"In that case, why don't you just kill me right now?" Jon narrowed his eyes._

_Blowhole snorted. "Because I can make use of your abilities if you live."_

_"Yeah right." Jon cocked his brow._

_"Join me." Blowhole said. _

_"__**Join **__you? Now why on Earth would I do that?" Jon growled._

_Blowhole laughed. "For the sake of your family." _

_Jon narrowed his eyes. A sick, twisted smile was on his enemy's face. And he knew that that was no good._

_Blowhole pressed a button on his Segway and a light projected something on the wall._

_Jon turned his head to the wall.  
"Greetings Dr. Blowhole. Agent 780 here awaiting orders." A voice said._

_Jon gasped. Projected on the wall was (a live video call from...) James!_

_"James?" Jon said._

_James turned to him and laughed. "I see you have succeeded in capturing Jon." He smirked._

_"Yes, yes I have. Have you found the target?" Blowhole asked, glancing at Jon from time to time._

_"Affirmative. The targets are in the recovery room." James turned his camera to focus on a room window. There he saw Silvia and her egg, Buck, and Annabelle, who called Buck out of the room. Soon, Silvia was alone with her egg._

_Jon growled and stood up, pulling on the chains. "Don't you __**dare**__ hurt her and our egg!" He said through gritted teeth (penguins don't have teeth but you know what I mean)._

_"What? No! I wouldn't __**dream**__ of such a thing. However, my seal friends would." Blowhole laughed. "Unless, of course you join me."_

_Jon's eyes darted from left to right. 'I shouldn't join him. But he'll hurt my family…' he thought._

_"Thank you, Agent 780. I'll call you again when I want you to execute the mission." Blowhole interrupted his thoughts._

_James nodded and the light was turned off._

_"Now… what's your decision?" Blowhole smiled evilly.  
Jon didn't reply._

_"Fine then. I'll give you a few moments to think." He said, rolling his little scooter toward the door._

_"__**Wait**__!" Jon said._

_Blowhole smirked and slowly turned his Segway._

_"D…deal." Jon stammered._

_"E-e-excellent!" Blowhole said, pressing a button that released Jon from the chains._

_"However, you must not try to escape or disobey my orders. If you so much as __**think**__ about doing those things, I will tell James to kill your precious family." Blowhole added._

_Jon rubbed his wrists, happy to be free, but angry that he has to work for this guppy. He nodded before slowly following the dolphin out._

"I was there when Johnson was kidnapped." Jon explained. "I started formulating plans to secretly contact you and tell you guys about his lair and secret plans…"

_"…That could work… but I would have to grab some metal parts and…" Jon mumbled, scribbling on a paper._

_It was his free time and no one would be watching him. _

_Little did he know that one of Blowhole's loyal crustaceans had peered in his room and saw everything. It quickly crawled its way to the dolphin and reported what he had seen.  
Blowhole nodded and whispered something to the lobster, who scampered away after hearing him._

"… And when Blowhole took your teammate in, he told me to go to a room..."

_Jon walked along side his two lobster escorts. He was going to go fetch something for the psycho dolphin maniac. He didn't understand why he needed escorts every time he went somewhere under the command of Dr. Blowhole, but he dared not argue for fear that the dolphin might do something sick to Silvia and the little Skipper._

_The lobsters opened the door and let Jon in. He leaned in to check if the supplies Blowhole needed was there, when suddenly he was shoved inside. Jon fell flat on the floor, and before he could stand up, his crustacean escorts slammed the door shut and locked it._

_"Guys! What's the meaning of all this?" Jon shouted, banging on the door._

_"Sorry, Jon. Doc's orders." A voice replied._

_Then a pair of seals shooed the lobsters away so they could guard the door._

_He looked around the room, his mind full of ideas on how to get out. But nothing in the room was of any use to him. Just a few empty cardboard boxes._

_He paced around the room for hours. Then he heard the seals talking._

_"Yeah. Skipper and his team escaped. But agent 402's gonna help 'em." One voice said._

_"Help them? So… she's…" another voice was heard._

_"NO! She's not betraying us! She's gonna earn the SMPF's trust, then kill Skipper when he's alone. That is, if his __**father**__ doesn't disobey boss' orders 'bout not thinkin' 'bout escapin' again." _

_Jon gasped. "They knew!" He thought aloud_

_Jon thought about what was happening. Reviewing everything in his mind, he shuddered._

_The thought of his son, his __**only**__ son, being ripped to pieces by a hungry flab of leopard seal blubber sent a chill down his spine. He was not going to let that happen._

_Soon, 2 days had passed and Jon was still stuck in that room. He was cold, hungry, and troubled. He knew that this was only one of Blowhole's __**kindest**__ ways of punishment. He could've done something more horrifying to him._

_Then, as if by cue, the said dolphin came in the room, ordering Jon to get back to work. _

"I didn't really mind that I was hungry and weak and Blowhole's telling me to work. It's forced labor… Well, a few years later, my tasks became harder. I had to participate in the kidnaps of other agents from different agencies. I didn't want to. So every time I could, I tried to escape with them. I wasn't able to, because someone's always watching. I tried it once…"

_Jon crept in the room. _

_He spotted the cage that was placed in there. An Eagle agent sat there, covering his face in his wing in slumber._

_"Psst!" Jon said, getting the bird's attention._

_"Huh, Wha?" The eagle stammered._

_"Shh! It's alright. I'm gonna help you…" Jon explained, rushing over to the cage to open it. He looked at the Eagle and pointed at the air vent. The Eagle understood. Then suddenly a rope was thrown over Jon. It tightened as he was pulled backward._

_Jon struggled in the ropes. "What the…" he said._

_"Hah! Looks like daddy __**genius**__**TRIED**__ to __**help**__**out**__." A voice laughed._

_Jon looked up to see a leopard seal looking down at him with an evil grin._

_"And I __**succeeded**__." Jon said, turning his head to the open cage._

_The Eagle flew into the air vent, making its escape. _

_The seal growled at Jon, who smiled innocently._

_…_

_The leopard seal threw Jon in the dungeon and he landed on the floor with a thud._

_"You disloyal fool! Wait 'till boss knows about this!" The seal said, locking the door to his cell and rushing to tell Dr. Blowhole._

_Jon sighed. He was still tied up in the ropes. He looked around for something to cut the ropes with. Unfortunately, he didn't find anything useful._

_After some time, a lobster came in with a knife._

_Without warning, he sliced the ropes, freeing Jon from it._

_"Jon?" the lobster said._

_"Y…yeah?" Jon replied._

_"Y…you're gonna have to come with me." _

_"Why should I?" _

_"Yyyeaah, I was kind of expecting you to say that." The crustacean said, glancing at the door behind him. Two leopard seals came in, smirking at him._

_Jon grunted as the predators pushed him out, keeping a close eye on him._

_They led him toward a room, one that he had never seen before. _

_Then suddenly, the seals grabbed his flippers and threw him onto some kind of slanted table. _

_They strapped him on it by his flippers, chest, and feet._

_"What's going on?" Jon demanded._

_Then the door swung open and Blowhole came in on his Segway with an evil grin on his face._

_I knew then that whatever was happening, it wasn't anything good._

_"Gre-e-etings, Jon. I heard you helped a prisoner out of its prison today…" Blowhole said._

_"I…Er…" Jon stammered._

_Blowhole slapped him. "Stupid." He muttered. "Just plain stupid. We had a deal. If you disobey my orders, I would attack your family using agent 402." _

_"So why did you bring me here, strapped to this thing?" Jon asked._

_"Oh yes. That. Using a little satellite and some cameras installed around your territory in Antarctica, I have a little show for you." Blowhole explained, pushing a button on his Segway._

_A TV screen came out of the ceiling and moved in front of the trapped penguin._

_Blowhole pressed a button and the TV was switched on. There he saw a young female leopard seal, calling Skipper._

_That's when he realized what he was looking at: His son's doom._

_"NO!" Jon shouted as he saw the leopard seal growling behind his son. He pulled on the straps holding him down. "I'M __**NOT**__ GONNA LET YOU HURT MY SON!" He shouted._

_Blowhole scoffed. "And __**how**__ are you gonna stop me? You can hardly move a muscle!"_

_"Huh?" Jon said, looking at the screen in confusion._

_"WHAT!? NO!" Blowhole gasped._

_Another penguin pushed Skipper out of the way and the leopard seal grabbed him instead._

_They watched as the leopard seal threw the little hero away, tracking blood on the snow wherever he landed._

_The rest of the team hurried over to help. A tall one tended to the injured soldier while the puffin attacked the seal._

_After a while of combat, the puffin succeeded in knocking her out. The backup came a few minutes later, captured the seal, and brought the injured penguin to safety. The next thing they knew they were taking shelter in a cave until the ongoing blizzard dies down._

_Blowhole growled in frustration._

_"The little Skipper has escaped for now. But that doesn't mean I'll give up trying to kill him. Now, are you still going to work for me or not?"_

_Jon thought for a while then said, "I will. Just don't hurt my family."_

_"You have my word." Blowhole said, pressing a button on his little scooter, freeing Jon from his trap._

_Jon stood up on the solid ground and turned his attention to the screen._

_His son stood there begging the injured penguin to stay alive._

_After a few words, the body of the little hero fell limp and lifeless. _

_Skipper shouted, "NO!" before resting his head on the body of the penguin. "Manfredi." He mumbled._

_"Manfredi… Is that his name? He must have been Skipper's team mate." Jon thought._

_"Come. I have plenty more for you to do, Jon." Blowhole said, interrupting his thoughts._

_Jon started walking toward the exit. Before he went out, he glanced at the TV screen. Skipper was crying over the body of his lost teammate. Crying like there's no tomorrow._

_Jon took pity on his son. "Some day, Cody. Some day." He muttered before following the dolphin away._

"Then soon, I had to participate in yet **another** capture. Blowhole told me to bring these 'three' to the poles so that he could broadcast with the agency they belonged to. I really had no choice. But when I came to your room and recognized you I… er… you know what happened next." Jon said.

"So all these years… You've just been protecting us?" Silvia tilted her head.

Jon nodded. "I thought it would be the only way to keep you from harm. Blowhole didn't tell me that the three prisoners was Skipper, Hans, and Johnson."

"If dat is the case, vhy did you still obey his orders vhen you could have helped us escape right avay?" Hans asked.

"Because I wanted to keep up the act until I could talk to you privately and help you escape in secret. That moment was just too guarded." Jon explained.

"The important thing is that you are back where you belong, right?" Jessie said.

Jon pulled Silvia closer. "Yes." He replied.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_So that's Jon's story…_**

**_Don't forget to review people!_**

**_If it's a negative comment... PM me, readers!_**

**_REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!_**


	21. Chapter 21: New Mission

**_Hey guys.. so… a little romance will be added to this and the few following chappies so hang in there!_**

**_I had a really hard time making this one._**

**_So please…_**

**_READ ON!_**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 21: New Mission **

Silvia smiled. She was happy to have her family back together again.

Suddenly, the door was flung open with a BAM and a feminine voice was heard.

"JESSIE! THE OTHERS NEED YOU IN THE TRAINING ROOM. THE– " it paused.

Hans gasped. It was a puffin! A beautiful female puffin. She stared right at him with gorgeous green eyes. Her head feathers were neatly brushed back, hiding her bangs by a ribbon on her head.

"There's a new puffin here? I thought I was the only one." She said calmly.

Hans melted.

"He's not new, _you _are newer than him. You remember Skipper, right? Those reports and stories you've been hearing." Jessie reminded.

"Y… yes…" she replied.

"Well, the puffin you are referring to is Hans. The only team mate left of Skipper's team." Jessie explained.

"Hans?" the puffin neared the other. "Hmm… I'm Katrine. Nice to meet you."

Hans blushed. "N… N… Nice t-to meet you t-too, aha." He stammered.

Katrine chuckled.

Skipper rolled his eyes. He knew these clichés all too well.

"Er… What were you saying, Kat?" Jessie asked.

"Oh, oh yes. Your presence is needed in the training room. Something 'bout a little accident with the weapons." Katrine informed.

Jessie face-flippered. "Alright. C'mon Jon. I might need a little help." She said, heading out the door.

Jon and Silvia followed.

Katrine, still standing in front of Hans, smiled. "So… you're a puffin huh? It's been a while since I saw another."

Hans blinked. "Really? Where do you come from?"

"I was following behind my flight, flying somewhere here in Antarctica when a strong chilly wind blew us apart. It blew me far away from the others no matter how hard I tried to fly against it. My wings grew tired and I gave up. I fell down and broke my wing. Doc said I'll be stuck on the ground for a few weeks." Katrine explained.

"And they believed that story?" Skipper snorted.

"They saw it. They saw me falling and they headed toward me. They didn't arrive before my rough landing, though." Katrine said, stretching her left wing only to whimper and fold it again.

"Did Doc do anything to help?" Hans asked.

"She bounded it with some kind of bandage and told me to not take it off at all costs. A few days later, she took it off, saying it needed air."

"But your flight left. You can't find it." Skipper narrowed his eyes.

"I memorize the pathways of my flight. They'll be back after a few seasons. If not, then I guess I'll be crashing here." Katrine then smirked at Skipper. "But I can assure you, Skipper that I am no spy. I know you have encountered spies before. Twice… in the same day… Not to mention that you lost one of your team mates on that very day."

Skipper took a step back but remembered that he was very well known here so there was a reason why she knew about him.

"So your flight passed here. Is der by any chanz dat your flight is da same as mine?" Hans said, hardly containing his excitement.

"I don't think so. We never left ONE puffin, young or old in Antarctica." Katrine replied. "Why?"

Hans slumped. "The flight that _I_ belonged to left vhidout me. *sigh* And I could not fly because I did not know how…" Hans extended his wings the examined them.

Katrine tilted her head in confusion.  
"Long story." Hans said, folding his wings. "And… I don' wanna talk 'bout it."

"C'mon! I'd love to hear a story." Katrine begged.

Hans cleared his throat while covering his beak with his left wing in attempt to hide the blush forming on his cheeks. "You wouldn't be interested." He pressed.

"Please?" Katrine took his flipper/wing(I got tired typing wing).

Skipper grunted. "Oh, humor the lady, Hans. I'll go see what duties are in store for me. You two have fun." Skipper said, dismissing himself. He didn't want to see more of this.

"Aye, Skippah." Hans said, giving him a small salute before turning back to the female puffin in front of him.

Skipper slid toward the training room. The newbies would be training there now. And since he was "popular" here, they might ask him lots of unnecessary questions.

He smiled as he sighted the training room door then stood up, pushing the door open.

He saw a few young penguins learning a new move. They paid no attention to the newcomer. Skipper sighed then looked around, searching for familiar faces.

Steph was there and so was Violet. Luckily, the two cream-colored brats were nowhere to be seen and so was Michael. He was probably with the two. Steph and Violet were both talking to Jessie.

Jessie turned her head and noticed Skipper. "Skipper!" She called, signaling him to come.

Skipper walked toward her. "Hey Jessie. I just came by to see if any of you needed help…"

"No. We're fine here. The situation was already taken care of. But anyways, that's not what I needed to tell you…" Jessie replied.

Skipper narrowed his eyes.

"Agent Steph and I have been talking and she agreed that you could stay a while. Mostly because I need you to go on this mission…"

Skipper straightened. "Mission?" He interrupted.

"Yes." Jessie said. "One of our youngest agents has gone MIA. No, he hasn't been kidnapped… well… at least not YET. Our cameras caught him running out the door. He's somewhere near the Leopard Seal Territories. He brought some weapons from the training room with him so it'll be a bit hard to bring him back."

"His name is Ryder Whitley according to these files Jessie gave me." Violet informed, pushing a folder near Skipper.

Skipper picked it up and opened it. There was his profile, a few mission files and pictures of him. He was a light brown penguin, not something you see everyday. He had dark blue eyes and his head feathers were pulled back (just like Nigel in his agent mode! XD).

"It would be safer for you and Hans to return to Denmark immediately for your own safety but a little mission won't hurt." Steph said while Skipper examined the photos.

"Alright. I figured that you four could do this one together…" Jessie continued.

"Four?" Skipper repeated, closing the folder.

"Oh, yes. I'm giving Katrine and Violet to you for a while, Skipper. It's just temporary. After all, you still haven't chosen a new… w-well because…" Jessie cleared her throat. "…N-never mind."

"So when do we go?" Skipper asked.

"As soon as you can; obviously not now because Hans is with Katrine for a while. We can't blame him for trying to communicate with his own species for once, right?" Jessie chuckled.

Skipper nodded his response. _I wonder what the two puffins are up to_… he thought.

"…and dat's how my flight left me. It's not too long. I do not want to bore you to death." Hans smiled.

The two were sitting on a big piece of ice right outside the SMPFHQ.

Katrine chuckled. "… B-but. It's really not so bad. I mean… If your flight didn't leave you, you wouldn't be here with me, right?" she said, scooting closer to him.

Hans blushed and smiled. "Yes."

Katrine leaned on his shoulders and let out a satisfying sigh.

"Hans?" Skipper's voice was heard. The two puffins stood up immediately.

"Skipper sir!" Katrine said, saluting to him with respect.

"Skippah?" Hans tilted his head.

Skipper gave Katrine a slight nod, making her put down her flipper then said, "Hans, Katrine… I know you two lovebirds are having your _romantic_ fun and all… But we have a mission." Skipper informed them.

"Mission?" Hans repeated.

"Apparently, one of the young agents in SMPF has left the building along with some weapons from the training area. Cameras spotted him near Leopard Seal Territories. So _that's _not good. We have to bring him back at all costs." Skipper crossed his flippers.

"And Jessie expects you and Hans to go alone?" Katrine guessed.

"No. Violet and you are coming with us. Jessie says there is 'safety in numbers' and all that…"

"Who the heck is Violet?" Katrine put a flipper on her hip.

"Cat." Hans answered briefly.

"Since when did cats get to Antarctica?"

"Ever since Agent Steph brought us here." Skipper said.

"Alright. What's the plan?" Katrine said, nearing Skipper with Hans.

"We'll search for clues. Hans and I will check on the training area to look for any traces of the young cadet, while you and Violet will check the security cameras for more clues. Got it?" Skipper ordered.

"W-wouldn't it be better if we split with one girl and one boy per team?" Katrine said, taking Hans' flipper.

Skipper grunted. "UGH! Fine. You and Katrine can pair up. Violet and I will investigate the training area."

"Did someone say my name?" A brown, orange, and white she-cat wearing some kind of black jacket and a black and white striped scarf jumped out of the door.

"Gosh it's freezing out here." She complained.

"Oh, Violet. This is Katrine. Katrine, Violet." Skipper said.

"So this is Katrine…" Violet said, sniffing her.  
"Er…" Katrine said, taking a step back.

"S-sorry. I'm a cat. This is how we familiarize ourselves to new people. We memorize their scent. It's a bit hard to pick up scents here in the cold. Let's head back inside… please…" Violet added, dashing to the door.

The others followed.

When they got inside, Skipper told Violet about the plan he discussed with Katrine and Hans earlier.

"Oh, I'm fine with that." The she-cat smiled.

"Alright then. Hans, Katrine, go find us some more clues. Violet and I will head to the training area to see what we're dealing with." Skipper said, pointing at one of the halls.

Hans nodded and held Katrine's flipper then he ran down another hall with the female puffin following behind.

Skipper slid on the floor toward the training area with Violet running behind him.

Soon, they reached their destination.

Steph and the other agents in training were gone so it was completely empty. No signs of life anywhere.

"Okay. Let's search for more clues." Skipper said, sliding toward the weapons storage closet.

Violet sniffed at the training materials (like the dummy).

"Okay. So there's a few throwing stars, a tranquilizer gun along with a few dozen darts, and a staff missing here. So we better prepare for a fight." Skipper said. "What do you have, Violet?"

"How can I detect this young one's scent if I don't know him at all?" Violet snorted, flicking her tail in annoyance.

Skipper took out a folder from one of the drawers and threw it toward the she-cat. "Here." He said.

Violet flipped it open. There were a few pictures of the light-brown and white feathered cadet named Ryder Whitley. Flipper prints were stamped on to the paper.

Violet got a good whiff of it. Disregarding the ink scent, she distinguished another penguin scent.

"Thanks." She replied then flipped it back closed. She gave it back to Skipper, who returned it back where he found it.

"So what now?" Violet asked.

"We ask what the puffins found." Skipper said before leading the cat out of the room.

"Have you got something?" Katrine asked.

"No… Not yet." Hans replied, pushing keys on the key board, scanning videos of previous recordings of each camera. "You?"

"Nope." Katrine called, sitting in front of _her_ computer. "Wait, wait! I see something!" she said, motioning to the male puffin to come see.

Hans saw a penguin in a white hood, wearing a white backpack. 'Okay, he really wants to be camouflaged in the snow eh?' he thought.

The penguin in the video was holding a tranquilizer gun, looking cautiously from side to side as if he expected someone to pop out of nowhere.

"He is going to da Leopard Seal Territories alright. And he's with a tranquilizer gun. I am sure DAT won't make it be easy to capture him." Hans crossed his flippers.

"Okay. So we report this to Skipper, then we go find Ryder?" Katrine asked.

"Ryder?" Hans looked confused.

"That's his name. I used to watch lessons on hand-to-hand combat and learned some of the young cadets' names." Katrine told him.  
"Impressive." Hans complimented.

"C'mon. Skipper and Violet are probably waiting for us." Katrine said, turning her computer off.

Hans did the same with his and headed out with Katrine.

"Hans! Katrine!" A voice called. Skipper and Violet were running right to them

The two stopped and they were face to face with them.

"What did you get?" Skipper asked.

"Ryder's armed with a tranquilizer gun. Heading to the Leopard Seal Territories." Katrine replied.

"In a white robe so he can be a bit camouflaged in the snow." Hans added.

"So… as much as possible, we must avoid getting hit with the tranquilizer darts." Violet tilted her head.

"Okay. We move out _now_. I don't want that kid to be ambushed by seals. And remember. We must NOT hurt him, at all costs. We must bring him back conscious, unhurt, and very much alive." Skipper reminded.

"Roger that." Hans said.

Skipper then led his little team out and into the cold.

Violet's paws were half-frozen and she was struggling to keep up, but she kept her pace and ignored the chilly pain in her pads. She still had the jacket and scarf that kept her warm.

She then focused on the scents and sounds of her surroundings.

She heard the slippery sounds of the Skipper's belly on the snow, the pitter-patter of Hans and Katrine's feet, and the thump of her own paws.

She extended her senses a bit further.

Snow… Snow… That was all she picked up. _Wait!_ She picked up another scent. A familiar scent.

"Guys! I smell something!" She hissed, not wanting to be heard by the penguin she detected.

The other three stopped behind a pile of snow. Violet padded toward them, flattening her ears against the cold winds.

"We're at the border of the Leopard Seal Territories. Do you think what you picked up was Ryder?" Skipper asked.

"I recognize the scent. I'm 99.5% sure." Violet estimated.

"Close enough." Skipper said, peeking over the pile to look for the young cadet.

"Nothing in sight… Yet." He reported.

"Then we have to keep moving!" Katrine whispered.

"Yes, but we have to keep hidden." Hans replied.

"Let's move!" Skipper led the other three toward another pile of snow near them, then another, then another, then another until Violet spoke up.

"The scent!" She whispered. "It's stronger now." Violet said, poking her nose up in the air. She looked at where the wind was coming from and peered over the pile of snow.

_There!_ She thought. There was a white-hooded penguin with a white bag. He was holding a tranquilizer gun with two light-brown flippers, ready to shoot at anyone who neared him.

"He's there. But if we startle him, he might shoot. We might as well show ourselves." Violet suggested.

"Sounds easy enough." Katrine said, standing up from her crouching position.

Together, the quadrant walked toward the young one, who was looking the other way.

Skipper cleared his throat before saying, "Ryder?"

The hooded penguin gasped and turned, pulling the trigger on his weapon toward the sound.

Skipper felt a sharp thing on his chest and glanced at it. It was the tranquilizer bullet. "What the-" He said before plopping onto the ground.

Ryder removed his hood and ran toward the penguin on the floor.

"Chilly Cheese Fries! It's Skipper! Oh dear, Oh no…" he heard a voice say.

This was the last thing he heard before giving in to the full effects of the tranquilizer bullet and everything was dark.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_Okay, that was it! _**

**_So! What do yah think?_**

**_Don't forget to review!_**

**_Don't know what to review? Here are some guide questions:_**

**_ What do you think about Katrine?_**

**_What do you think about Ryder? _**

**_What do you think about the plot so far?_**

**_Choose atleast two of the questions! XD_**

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	22. Chapter 22: Love is in the Air

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 22: Love is in the Air**

_"Skipper?" _

A voice woke the leader penguin up. He didn't open his eyes but he listened to the audible voices around him.

"I don't think he's waking up yet." Violet's voice was heard.

"Oh dear. Oh dear. I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" Another voice stammered.

"It's alright. I'm sure Skipper will forgive you." Skipper heard Katrine's voice.

Skipper felt a furry paw on his flipper.

The paw shook him a bit. "Skipper? Skipper, do you hear me?" Violet pleaded.

Skipper opened his eyes and groaned.

"Skippah?" Hans' voice said.

Skipper looked around. They were still out in the snow.

He was lying on his back surrounded by his friends.

He identified familiar faces: Hans, Katrine, and Violet. The next one he identified made him seethe with anger.

"Ryder!" He growled, getting up and facing the light brown penguin.

Ryder gulped. "I'm… I'm sorry sir…" He looked at his feet.

"Oh, You better be!" Skipper scolded.

Ryder shrunk, obviously terrified. "I _am_." He whimpered.

"Good. Now you can explain why you left HQ!?" Skipper raised his brow and crossed his flippers.

"I'll spare you the boring flashback wherein li'l Ryder gets picked on. I was just looking for training. My trainer always gives me easy tasks no matter what I tell him." Ryder explained briefly.

"Well, we can speak to your trainer and you can return to the HQ… along with the weapons you took." Katrine glanced at Hans and Violet, who were digging in the pile of snow for the shurikens.

"Oh… Yes… Right." Ryder said, taking out the sword.

Violet spat out two shurikens from her mouth and Hans lay down the other.

Skipper grabbed the sword, shurikens, and tranquilizer gun and they set off for SMPFHQ.

Hans and Katrine spoke to Ryder's trainer that he should be given proper training while Ryder and Violet returned the weapons.

Meanwhile Skipper went looking for Doc.

"Boomer, you and your team ready an emergency kit. Tessa, you and _your_ team will go to the training area to check for injuries on our little training cadets… MADDIE! WHERE are my supplies!?" Doc yelled in the medical hall full of medical agents rushing here and there to their assignments.

When Doc saw Skipper she approached him.

"Oh, hey Skipper!" she greeted.

"Busy day, huh? I never knew the medical teams were so active these days…" Skipper smirked.

Doc sighed exhaustingly. "Yeah. It would be great to take a break for a while."

"Hey… um… how about you and me? Tonight? We could go out for a stroll, catch some fish…"

"What? Is the great Skipper _really_ asking _me_ on a date?" She acted, putting a flipper on her chest.

"Well, if Alice Doc Grove is okay with it. I mean… It would be more direct if I said if you would want to be my girlfriend but…" Skipper replied.

Doc wrapped her flippers around Skipper's neck and Skipper wrapped his around her waist.

"I'd _love_ to Skipper." Doc said, bringing her face closer to his. "Later. Tonight. I'll meet you outside. And yes I would _love_ to be your girlfriend." She whispered before pulling away to resume her duties.

Skipper felt triumphant. He _actually_ asked her out!

"Oh! And one more thing!" Doc said, rushing back to him.

Doc pecked (you know… kissed…) his cheek. "Thanks."

Then she left, disappearing into the crowd.

Skipper held a flipper to his cheek and blushed.

He couldn't contain the joy he felt inside of him and he rushed to his team's room with great speed.

He plopped himself on his bed and sighed happily.

"I can't believe it." Skipper smiled.

"Skippah, Jessie is asking you to observe da young cadets training!" Hans' voice came from the open door.

"I'll be a minute! You go ahead…" Skipper called.

"My word, Skipsy! You seem happy." Hans said, observing the big smile on his face. "And by dat, I mean happier than dat of the usual." He added.

"It's none of your business, Hans." Skipper got up. "Fine… I'll go."

_That night…_

Alice Doc Grove sat outside the SMPFHQ watching the distant sun set.

"Alice! Alice!" A voice rang in her ear.

It was Skipper, rushing out of the HQ. He stopped in front of her. "Alice, sorry I'm late… Jessie had to-"

Doc put a flipper on his beak. "Shh… Let's just make this night last, okay?"

A blush formed on Skipper's cheeks. "Okay."

"C'mon. We were gonna take a walk, remember?" Doc held out her flipper.

Skipper took it and they walked together toward the setting sun.

They spent all night together. They had a few snowball fights and made a few snow angels. But when the active fun was done, the sun had set and Skipper took out two fishing poles.

Doc took one happily and sat down on the edge of the frozen pond.

Skipper kicked a hole in the ice and they dropped their lines with bait in.

"So… Night long enough for you?" Skipper smirked.

"Yeah. It's one to remember, Skipper… Oh, I heard that you teamed up with Violet and Katrine today…"

"Yeah… they're…"

"You be careful around Katrine, Skipper."

"Why?"

"She's a bit… I don't know… She's been trying to get a team ever since she was here. No one would let themselves be led by that puffin. She seems fine. But I don't think she is."

Skipper gasped as he felt a tug on his line.

"You got something?" Doc asked.

"Yeah-er…" Skipper reeled it in slowly and he ended up with a big Ice fish.

"Impressive." Doc smiled.

"Thanks." Skipper chuckled. "Now… about Katrine… Are you really sure she's like that?" Skipper asked, putting bait on his hook.

"Positive… but anyway… Let's forget that right now. Tonight, it's just you and me." Doc rested her head on Skipper's shoulder.

Skipper sighed and wrapped his flipper around Doc.

"I love you, Skipper." Doc suddenly said.

Skipper was shocked for a while then his gaze was full of longing and relief. "I love you too, Alice."

Doc put her flippers around his neck and the two kissed.

_Meanwhile…_

Hans shared a fish with Katrine. The two were having _their_ night as well.

"Um… Hans?" Katrine said.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know how Skipper became leader of your team?"

"Wh-why would you want to know?"

"Oh, nothing. Just curious."

"He passed PELT. He's an excellent leader."

"But don't _you_ wanna be the leader one day?"

"Well… I am second in command now, so dat's fine to me."

"But don't you wanna be the commander?"

"Well… yeah… a bit…"

"Well, the only way you're gonna do that, is to bring Skipper down from his position…" Katrine instructed.

"WH-WHAT!? No! Skippah is my bestest friend. And I'm all dat's left of his team…" Hans trailed off.

"Okay then… Forget I said those stuff then…" Katrine returned to eating her share of the fish with a frown on her face.

"…Is something wrong?" Hans asked, bringing her face closer to his with his flipper on her chin.

"Nothing." Katrine pulled away and sighed.

"What's the matter?" Hans pressed.

Katrine smiled and wrapped her flippers around Hans' neck. "It's nothing, sweet." Then she pressed her beak against Hans' and they both shared a kiss.

When they pulled away, Hans said, "You sure?"

"I'm sure." Katrine replied, resting her head on Hans' chest lovingly.

"Okay, if you say so." Hans sounded unsure but hugged his loved one back.

…

_Later that night_

Hans lay on his bed sighing. Then he heard the door creak open and turned to see who it was.

It was Skipper. "Hello, Skipper." Hans smiled.

"Oh, hey Hans. Not yet asleep, eh?"

"_You_ aren't." Hans raised his brow.

"I… er… touché. Anyway, what kept you awake?" Skipper asked.

"I spent time with Katrine." Hans closed his eyes as he remembered their first date. "What happened to _you_?"

"Classified. You don't need to know." Skipper said, wanting to keep his relationship with Doc a secret until further notice.

Hans was about to question his reply, but he shook the thought away and just gave him a quiet nod before dozing off to sleep.

Skipper laid his head on his bed and soon dozed off as well.

…

_A few weeks later…_

Katrine was with Hans, walking from here to there, meeting fetching and all those busy things. Because of the two lovebirds, Steph decided to stay a little while, especially because she had developed a stronger friendship with Jessie.

"Hans, you have any plans for today?" she asked him while walking.

"You mean other dan dis? Dat depends. Vhy?" Hans replied.

"Oh nothing. I just have something to do after lunch. It's still a plan. I have to do it in the training room." Katrine then held Hans' flipper. "But you can help me if you want."

Hans put his flipper around Katrine and said, "Sorry sweet heart. I can't Skipper and I are going to meet by then."

"Oh. Alright. I'll do it by myself then." Katrine slumped.  
Hans thought of a plan. _I'll let Skippah come too so dat I can meet both persons at da same time!_

Hans pulled her closer to him. "I'll be there.." Hans promised.

"Thanks, honey." Katrine said. She gave him a kiss and they moved on to their destination.

Lunch came and it was short. Katrine was nowhere to be found but that didn't bother Hans. He knew he would meet Katrine later and help her with something in the training room. Skipper came in and sat in Hans' table. "Hey Hans. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"C-can we do dis in da training area?" Hans asked.

"Why?"

"I just feel like going der." Hans smiled.

"Oh sure. We can talk on the way." Skipper stood up and walked with his teammate out the door and into the halls.

"Have you done your duties yet?" Skipper started.

"Yes, Skippah. I did it wid Katrine."

"Katrine?"

"Yes."

"Hey about that… Katrine is well… She's acting very suspicious don't you think?"

"In vhat manner?"

"I mean… she always-"

"RED ALERT! RED ALERT! Everyone evacuate this hall immediately!" a voice came ringing into their earholes.

"What's happening?" Skipper asked.

"The training room is being ambushed. One armed enemy, but she has a disintegration ray." An agent informed him.

"_She_!?" Skipper stammered.

"Skippah!" Hans caught his attention.

"What?"

"Katrine said she was going to do her plan in the training area after da lunch! Do you suppose dat _dis_ is her plan!?" Hans was panicking.

"Guys! Guys!" They heard Violet's voice.

"Jessie sent me here. She knew you'd take immediate action! She told me that we have to go stop whoever's in there." Violet said.

"Alright. Let's move!" Skipper led his small team to the training area.

Hans followed, still unsure about this.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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	23. Chapter 23: Pain and Death

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 23: Pain and Death**

Skipper kicked open the door and barged in with his small team: A cat and an unsure puffin.  
There was a black-hooded figure standing in front of a few young cadets, shivering in fear in the corner of the room. The figure had the disintegration ray in its flippers, ready to fire at the young ones any moment.

Skipper took out a gun from seemingly nowhere.

"You! Freeze!" He said, pointing it at the hooded one.

The figure turned and took of its hood. Everyone gasped.

It was Katrine!

"What are you doing, Katrine!?" Violet said, gobsmacked.

"What do you _think_ I'm doing?" Katrine growled.

"Taking over?" Skipper guessed.

"Of course not… oh wait… yes… yes, that _is_ what I'm doing." Katrine then cleared her throat before continuing. "I've been rejected as a leader for far too long. Since they won't **let** me lead them, I'll grab the position of HEAD of the SMPF myself…"

"By forcing them to let you be head?" Violet tilted her head.

"Yes…" Katrine then took out another disintegration ray and pointed it at them. "Now, if you don't want to be disintegrated, you will drop that gun, obey my every command from now on, and tell the others to do the same."

"You're blinded by hunger of power. Stop this now, Katrine." Skipper ordered.

Hans was behind the group, seemingly paralyzed.

"Why should I!? So that you can boss me around? Give me orders? Not let me do what I want!?" Katrine snorted.

"Well… yes. Now drop your weapon." Skipper said calmly. Katrine tightly gripped the disintegration ray that was pointing at Skipper.

"No, YOU drop YOURS." Katrine smirked, knowing that her weapon was deadlier than his.

"No!" Skipper shouted, firing the gun. The bullet hit the disintegration ray and it flung right out of Katrine's flipper.

Katrine grabbed the other disintegration ray she had and fired it at the small group.

Skipper, Violet, and Hans jumped out of the way and the beam disintegrated the door instead.

Violet took cover with Hans while Skipper fired the gun, flinging the disintegration ray out of Katrine's flipper again.

"Urgh!" Katrine growled, running toward the armed penguin.

"Violet! You go take care of the young ones. Make sure their all safe with Jessie." Skipper said.

Violet nodded before running toward the youngsters and out of the room with them.  
Katrine slammed into Skipper, knocking the gun out of his flipper, and letting him lie on his belly.

Skipper rolled over and kicked her off him and then he pinned her down, folding his flipper into a fist.

"HANS! HELP!" Katrine yelped, grabbing Skipper's flipper before he could strike it against her. She struggled against the leader penguin's strength.

"HANS!" Skipper called his teammate, who was still "paralyzed".

Hans shook his head as if to clear his mind and looked concerned at the two tussling birds. He didn't make a move yet though.

"I- I…" Hans stammered.

"Hans?" Skipper raised his brow at the puffin.

Katrine noticed that he was distracted, and drove her fist into his chin in a powerful uppercut.

Skipper staggered backwards and dropped on his back.

Katrine pinned him and grabbed the nearest weapon in the training room: A katana.

"Now hold still so I won't make a mess." Katrine growled, holding the katana against Skipper's neck.

"Hans!" Skipper cried, blood was seen as Katrine slowly pressed the weapon against his neck.

Hans closed his eyes tight. He didn't know what to do. He could help his leader, but that would include hurting his love! He could help Katrine, but that would be going against his leader! What _could_ he do!?

Skipper desperately felt the ground around him for something that could set him free. _Aha!_ He felt his gun and kicked Katrine off him again, pointing the gun at her.

Katrine gasped.

"Right. You're stuck. Now, drop the weapon and come with us." Skipper ordered.

Katrine put her flipper on his hip and smirked. "I don't think so, Skipper. I have another trick up my sleeve." Katrine then took out a gun similar to Skipper's and pointed it at the penguin.

Skipper growled. If nobody made a move, then nobody wins. If he made a move, that would result to killing her, and he wasn't supposed to do that. He was supposed to bring her back alive. But if he didn't make a move, Katrine would make one and **he'd** be dead.

"Hans…" Skipper stammered.

Hans whimpered and looked at his leader.

"No, Hans! Join me! We can rule SMPF together." Katrine persuaded.

Hans shifted his eyes from right to left, still troubled and unsure.

"HANS! THIS IS INSUBORDINATION!" Skipper shouted.

"Hans, honey?" Katrine begged.

Hans sat there, frozen.

"URGH!" Katrine said, taking the first shot.

Skipper ducked, dodging the bullet. He then fired at where he thought Katrine was.  
Katrine jumped into hiding and out of sight.

Skipper looked around with the gun in his flippers.

Katrine then jumped and kicked at the wall and was "flying" toward Skipper.

Skipper closed his eyes tight and fired.

There was a small gasp and a thud.

He opened his eyes and saw Katrine lying on the floor with a bleeding chest.

"Katrine! No!" Hans cried, running toward the body of his loved one.

Skipper then felt guilty. Hans looked heart broken.

"How could you have done dis!?" Hans said, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I- I… *sigh*" Skipper gave up. Hans was way too hurt to listen to reason. "I'm so sorry, Hans."

"NO! This isn't over, Skippah! I **will** avenge her!" Hans growled.

"Hans, you're taking this wrong… I had to-"

Hans ran out of the room, crying. _There's nobody I can trust now…_ he thought.

Skipper felt a painful throb in his chest. He suddenly regretted what he had done.

"Skipper, Hans just ran out. He kinda looked like- *gasp*" Violet said, padding toward him.  
"Like he was hurt?" Skipper finished her sentence for her.

Violet looked shocked at Skipper. "Did _you_ do this?" she mewed.

"W-well… Yes, but-"

"Why?" she asked.

"I _had_ to!" Skipper said.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… Skipper, that was… well, um… You destroyed something that meant a lot to Hans. Wh-what would _you_ feel if Hans killed, Doc?" Violet narrowed her eyes.

"Th-that's different! Katrine was trying to take over!" Skipper defended.

"What I'm _trying_ to point out is… You shouldn't have killed her. Now your team is officially broke." Violet shook her head disapprovingly and rushed out of the room again.

Skipper slumped. She was right. Now, he was all alone.

Soon, the other agents disposed of Katrine's body, after hearing what happened, of course.

Skipper lay in his bed, the throbbing in his chest even more painful then before.

"Wh-what have I done?" Skipper said, a tear rolling down his cheek.

There was a knock on his door and he looked up, wiping his cheek.

"Skipper?" a familiar voice called.

Skipper covered his face with his pillow.

"Skipper!" The voice chimed again.

Skipper looked up to see Silvia, his mother.

"Skipper, what's wrong?" she asked.

"It's all my fault…" Skipper mumbled.

"What?"

"Hans is gone…" Skipper said.

"So I heard… Katrine was shot… but I had no idea that it was you who shot… her…" Silvia stopped when she realized that her words were making Skipper feel worse.

"Skipper…"

"I wish I could redo everything…"

"B-but life goes on, sweetie. You just have to face it… Even though it brings a painful sting." Silvia gave him a small smile.

Skipper sat up. "Thanks, ma. I'm starting to feel a bit better now." Skipper said.

"Well good… *cough* *cough* I'll just be *cough* on my way then…" Silvia coughed again.  
"Ma? Are you feeling okay?" Skipper asked, concerned.

"I'm fine…" Silvia broke out in a fit of coughing then leaned backwards.

"MA!" Skipper said, getting up, and catching his mother from her fall.

He put her on his bed. "Ma, you're sick." Skipper put a flipper on Silvia's forehead. "And warmer than usual."

"It's *cough* nothing to worry about…" Silvia tried to reassure his son.

"You stay here while I call Doc. She's gonna have a check on you." Skipper said, walking to the door.

"Really, Skipper. *cough* There's nothing to *cough* *cough* worry about."

"I'm sorry. But I **can't** lose another…" Skipper trailed off then rushed out of the room to call Doc.

"She's definitely sick. Weak, warm, and coughing… but nothing too serious. Just a normal fever is all." Doc reported after taking Silvia's temperature.

"I suggest she stay in a medical room until she's better." Doc advised.

"Can you walk to the medical hall or do we have to bring you there ourselves?" Skipper asked.

"I can walk!" Silvia snorted. "I'm not** that** weak yet." She got up then walked with a medical agent toward the medical hall.

"Well, you're paranoid, aren't you, Skipper?" Doc put a flipper on her hip.

"It's just that She, dad, and you are the last few things that matter most to me. I can hardly remember when this room was full." Skipper sighed.

"And you'd hate to see one of us get hurt?" Doc guessed.

Skipper nodded.

"Reasonable." Doc said, getting up from sitting on the bed. "I'm gonna go do my duty and treat your ma." She dashed out of the room with her supplies.

Skipper took a deep breath. He was going to face the world, no matter what it threw at him. From now on, he wouldn't live in the past. It's time to work on the present. He then went to where Jessie was hoping the receive orders.

Skipper knocked then pushed open the door. He saw Jessie, Steph, Violet, and Michael trying to hold the two kittens still.

"Ah, Skipper. I see you've gotten over the incident." Jessie smirked.

"I don't even want to talk about it." Skipper replied.

Jessie cleared her throat. "I've got news for you, soldier."

Skipper straightened.

"It seems you are safe here in Antarctica and we haven't even heard **anything** from your arch enemy. I guess we were being too paranoid back then." Jessie explained.

"Right." Skipper raised his brow.

"So… **we're** leaving for Denmark. Now." Steph said, pointing at herself, Michael, Tulip, Lily, Talon, and Violet

"EXCEPT for Violet. She's on your temporary team, Skipper. I'm sure we can find you others to fill in the spots on your team. Hopefully as soon as possible." Jessie said.

"Oh, sure. Whatever you say, Jessie." Skipper saluted.

"Bye, Skipper!" Tulip smiled, tail sticking up proudly.

"Bye-bye!" Lily bounded over to her sister then they all left the room toward the top of the building where Jessie's backup helicopter was.

"J-Jessie?" Skipper asked.

"Yes, soldier?"

"Do you have orders for me?"

"Nah, you take a break. Do whatever you want for all I care. I've got plenty of agents to fill you."

"Thank you, Jessie." Skipper then ran out of the room.

He knew where he was going to go first. He was going to visit his mother then he'd try to talk to Doc. He always felt better when he was talking to Doc.

"Ma?" Skipper called when he knocked at a door in the medical hall. He opened it and he saw Silvia lying on the bed, asleep. Jon and Doc were standing beside the bed.

"Is she alright?" Skipper asked Doc.

"Yes, the fever's gone down and her coughing stopped. I advised her to take a rest." Doc.

"So… you're free for the rest of the day?"

"Come to think of it, I **am** free for the rest of the day." Doc said, smiling.

"That's all I need to know." Skipper smiled back.

"You lovebirds can go." Jon said. "I can manage looking after Silvia."

Doc gave him a small nod and glanced at Skipper, who took her flipper and walked out the door with her, closing it behind them.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_Hoorah! No cliffy!_**

**_SO!_**

**_Reactions on what happened?_**

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**_I can tell you, It is SLOWLY nearing the Denmark scene. SLOWLY… _**

**_And what happened earlier in this chapter is VERY relevant to it._**

**_So REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW, my peeps! _**

**_THE _**MORE**_ REVIEWS, THE _**FASTER**_ I'LL UPDATE! _**

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	24. Chapter 24: Revenge

**_OMG, am I rushing the plot? Hope not…_**

**_Alarm me if I am…_**

**_Anywho…_**

**_READ ON!_**

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 24: Revenge**

"Skipper's Log…

It's been about one month after Hans' disappearance and I _have _gotten over it. Everything was going great ever since I started hanging with Alice. I always believed that with every moment I spend with her, every time she chuckles or smiles at me every so cutely, I feel relieved and joyful, like nothing else mattered.

Everything was doing fine. I was ordered by Jessie to go and check on the other troops and then after that, I am to go to the training room and give some first-time tips to the newly made young agents.

Hopefully today will be a success. And everything will be fine when I take Alice out this evening. Hopefully... Over and out…"

…

Doc was in her lab, mixing up a potion that's too classified for you readers to know about. She hummed as she added 5mL of another liquid and mixed again with the stirring rod.

Then the door was pushed open.

"Skipper?" she said hopefully, glancing behind her and at the door.

It was Hans, the puffin.

"Hans? Y-you're here!?" Doc stammered, putting the stirring rod and the beaker on the table. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just came to take care of some unfinished business." Hans smirked, pulling out a blade.

Doc gasped, stepping away from the table and away from Hans.

Hans slowly drew nearer, clutching the blade firmly in his flipper.

"I hear you and Skipper are… in love…" Hans added.

"AAHH! SKIPPER!" Doc yelled, pressing herself against the wall behind her.

"Skipper cannot save you. He cannot even hear you." Hans smiled evilly.

"GUESS AGAIN!" Skipper's voice came from where the door was.

Hans immediately rushed behind Doc, one flipper holding her flippers together and the other holding the blade near her throat.

"Skipper!" Doc shouted desperately.  
"Hans, let her go…" Skipper said.  
"NO! You're not my leader now! You've hurt me too bad, Skipper. Right after you murdered Katty!" Hans brought the knife closer to Doc's neck.

Doc froze.

"Hans, I had to! He was going to murder **me**!" Skipper explained. "And she was trying to take over the SMPF!"

"**PAH**! **Excuses**! She would have been a **great** head of SMPF. She's an excellent leader. Even better than you **was**, **are**, and will **ever** be!" Hans growled.

Skipper scowled. "With no experience and proper leadership training? Katrine wouldn't have the skills to lead." He then brought his flippers up in fighting stance. "Now let her go."

"Sk- Ski- Skipper…" Doc stammered, struggling not to move, afraid that one move would make the puffin make the blade pierce her neck.

"QUIET!" Hans shouted, making the female penguin whimper. Then he turned to Skipper. "The point is… You've hurt me by killing the one I loved the most. Now, I'll have my revenge by doing the same." Hans said.

Doc noticed that the blade was moved further from her neck now. About three and a half inches if she calculated right…

Hans had a distracted look in his face and he didn't pay much attention to the blade.

Doc grabbed the blade with her beak and flung it in the air, making the puffin gasp, let go of her flippers, and reach for the blade.

The female penguin tried to run to Skipper but Hans grabbed hold of the blade just in time and he quickly pierced it into her stomach.

"GAH!" she exclaimed.

Hans pulled the blade out and she fell on the floor in pain.

"ALICE!" Skipper shouted, running toward her.

Hans blocked his way with the sharp, bloodstained blade in his flipper. "Perfect. Now, you will feel what I felt a few weeks ago." Hans said coldly.

A few tiny tears trickled down Skipper's cheek but he wasn't full of sorrow, but full of anger, and hatred.

"HANS!" He shouted, jumping at the evil puffin and pinning him on the ground.

The blade slipped out of Hans' flipper when he hit the ground.

"You cold-hearted demon!" Skipper growled as he began to land punches on the puffin's face.

Hans blocked a punch with his arm, then he grabbed Skipper's flipper, throwing him toward a wall.

"OOGH!" Skipper said as the air was pushed out of him when he hit the wall with his face.

He fell on the floor with a thud and he looked up to see that Hans was standing in front of him. He had the blade pointed at his enemy's face.

Skipper scanned for options in his brain then his thoughts were interrupted by the cries of Alice. "Sk- Skipper! H- h- help m-me!"

He glanced at his love, lying on the floor with both flippers holding her belly with blood stained feathers.

A fierce rage burned in Skipper and he pushed the blade out of the puffin's flipper and kicked him down.

When Hans got up, he drove his fist on his face then gave him a powerful uppercut, sending him staggering backwards.

Hans landed a punch on his side and his face but this didn't affect Skipper. Skipper kicked Hans in the belly and he fell on his back near the door.

The puffin stood up and glanced at Skipper, then at the door before running out of the exit.

Skipper made a move to run after him but stopped when he heard Doc call out his name. "Skipper… S- Ski- Skipper…" she cried.

Skipper looked at the door and grunted before running toward Alice, concerned.

Alice groaned, rolling on her back with both flippers still holding her belly.

Skipper knelt down and pulled a flipper off her belly to see blood; lot's of blood staining her flippers and belly.

"Alice, it's okay. You'll be alright, okay? I'll go call some of your troops to come and help you, just stay…" Skipper got up and headed for the door.

"Skipper… w-wait…" Alice stammered.

Skipper turned back and knelt back down. "What is it?" Skipper asked.

"There's… There's no h-hope." She said weakly.

"What do you mean there's no hope?" Skipper said.

"I c-can't survive. The damage is t-too big. E-even if you call t-troops, it'll be… too late."

"No! You have to survive. You just can't go yet!" Skipper cried, tears rolling down his face.

Alice put her flipper on Skipper's cheek and the male penguin held it there desperately before wrapping his other flipper around her neck, bringing her closer to him.

"I'm sorry, Skippy." She whispered.

"No… NO! I CAN'T LOSE YOU! I'LL GET THE TROOPS! I **can**! It'll be quick! I-"

"No. It's- It's impossible. Just stay with me." She smiled a bit. "I- I love you."

Skipper couldn't hold back the tears anymore and let them all go. "I love you… so… much…" He replied.

Alice wrapped her flippers around Skipper's neck and pushed her beak against Skipper's.

Skipper put a flipper on the back of Alice's head and kissed back.

Soon, he felt Alice's grip on him weaken and her head fell back and on his flipper, breaking their kiss.

Skipper looked at her in horror. "NO! No, Alice, stay with me… stay with me, Alice… Don't leave me! Please, No…" he said, pressing his forehead on hers.

"Alice…" he shut his eyes tight, letting the tears flow.

Her body was limp and lifeless in his arms. And he couldn't deny that she was gone and he couldn't bring her back no matter what he did.

He carried her body up and slowly walked out of the room.

Jessie walked down the hall where Skipper was and stopped just in front of him. She gasped. "Skipper, what happened?"

"Hans… he… he came back." He replied.

Jessie pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Calling troops 89 and 23! We have an emergency! Hall number 2, stat!" she then put the walkie-talkie down.

Skipper laid Alice's body on the floor and sighed.

After a few minutes, the troops arrived and tended to Alice. Skipper didn't see the sense in that. She was gone. There was nothing they could do to bring her back. He just walked toward Alice's lab. The blade was on the floor. And in where Alice died, he saw pools of blood.

Whatever did he do wrong?

…

"Skipper's… Log…

I don't see the sense in making this report… Hans came back seeking revenge on me and he killed Alice Doc Grove just to make me feel his pain. But I **had** to kill Katrine. Yet, Hans didn't have to kill Alice.

*sigh*

This is just so complicated.

Now that Alice' is gone, I won't be able to… take her out tonight…

All the ones I cared about… Manfredi, Johnson, Hans, and now Alice… they're either dead or they turned against me. The only ones left are my parents, and Private. I'm afraid that enemies will harm them too. So I've made a decision. I'm running away. From all this…

If I'm lucky, they won't harm them if they think I have no connection with them. I left a note on my bed for Private, Silvia ,and Jon telling them not to come after me and that I want them safe.

Skipper's Log, hopefully not the last… Over… and out…"

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Short chapter. Sorry for those who like long chapters…**

**I really feel like I'm rushing the plot..**

**Again, sorry for short chappie!**

**I'll update as soon as I have at least two reviews…**

**I think that can happen…**

**NOW REVIEW!**

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**:D**

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	25. Chapter 25: Run Away

**How It All Began**

**Chapter 25: Run away**

Skipper calmly steered the submarine away from Antarctic waters. He didn't have anyone with him unlike before. This time, he was alone with a mere green and red scarf on his neck to keep him warm and comfortable.

He had no idea where he was going but anywhere was better than staying back at home.

After realizing that all those that meant a lot to him are to be harmed one way or another by his enemies, Skipper chose to run away from the only ones that meant more than a lot to them… His parents… His family… And more importantly, Private… The sweet little cadet would be devastated if he knew that he was missing…

Skipper sighed. He was far away from his home now and he didn't want to come running back just because he couldn't take the pressure of not being with loved ones like he usually was.

No… He chose to run away to keep them safe and he **will**.

(PoMlovah611: And yeah, I know that it takes a very long time to travel to "the place" from Antarctica, but yeah… It's a cartoon so… yeah…)

* * *

"Skipper? Skipper!?" Jon called, knocking at the door of his son's room.

He opened it and growled. "SKIPPER, WHERE ARE- huh?" he said, noticing that the room was empty.

There was a paper stuck to Skipper's bed.

"Skipper can read and write?" Jon smirked. "Right… right…"

* * *

(PoMlovah611: Yeah… one mystery of the Penguins… They can crack an encryption code, read instructions and manuals, and search things in the Internet, yet they can't read? I say they _can_ read and don't say it… -_-)

* * *

Jon then took the paper, called Silvia and brought it to Jessie, who was in her office.

* * *

_I have run away to keep my parents and Private safe from harm. Don't bother trying to find out where I'm going because I don't know either. I hope you understand. _

_~ Skipper_

* * *

"Skipper has run away!" Jessie reported after reading it.

"Run away!? Why would he run away?" Silvia asked.

"It says he wants you safe. He thought that if he's not near you it would keep you from harm." Jessie replied.

"Makes sense." Jon shrugged.

"B-but, Cody! He's in danger out there! All alone with no idea where he's going!" Silvia whimpered.

"Skipper in danger? I don't think DANGER ever meant anything if Skipper's involved…" Jessie reassured.

"Yeah, it's just anger, hiding behind the letter D to him." Jon agreed.

Silvia grunted. "Fine. But I don't come running to me to tell me I was right if he IS indeed in danger." She then walked out of the room.

* * *

Skipper snored on his seat. The auto-driver was on and he decided he needed a rest.

Then there was a big bump that jerked the leader awake.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF SMOKED FISH!?" He exclaimed, quickly standing up.

He went to the scope and looked at his surroundings.

He has reached land…

"Well, I guess this is my stop…" Skipper then drove the sub into hiding, got out, and swam to the surface.

"Hmm… This beach is surprisingly empty…" Skipper narrowed his eyes and looked around.

He had a gut feeling that someone was watching him and his gut was never wrong before…

Then a bunch of darts flew out of nowhere toward Skipper. He jumped and dodged them.

Then a round black thing rolled near him.

"Knock-out bomb!" he said, kicking it away mere seconds before it secreted the stench.

Then a hooded figure jumped at him and kicked him down.

"You are very good. I can see that you are trained…" a male voice said with a slight Brazilian accent.

Skipper pushed himself up and faced the figure with both flippers up in a fighting stance.

"So… what? You lost? Split up from your migration group?" the figure smirked.

"What?" Skipper said, confused.

"Wait…" the figure removed his hood, revealing his penguin head, dark brow eyes, and white ringed neck. "You are not a Magellanic penguin, are you?"

"N-no…" Skipper replied, with narrowed eyes.

"Then why did you come here?" the stranger asked with a growl.

"It's classified." Skipper said. He stepped back when he heard the penguin gasp.

"Antarctic dweller?" he guessed.

Skipper blinked.

"You ARE an Antarctic agent, are you not? From the Secret Military Penguin Force?" he stepped nearer to him.

"Well… yes…" Skipper stammered, unsure if he should be talking to this penguin.

"Well, why did you not say so!?" he smiled.

"What?" Skipper asked, still rather confused.

The penguin shook his flipper. "I am Mateo. Pleased to meet you… uh…"

"Skipper…" Skipper said.

"WHAT? YOU ARE SKIPPER!? **Fala sério**!**THE** SKIPPER!? Wow, you have grown... but no matter… my amigos would love to see you. Eh, come with me porfavor." He said.

"Why should I?" Skipper growled.

"You will be much, much safer in our HQ." Mateo told him.

"Safer? HQ?" Skipper stammered.

"Are you coming or not?" Mateo asked, walking out of the beach.

"I'm coming." Skipper replied, slowly following behind him.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_Eh, is it just me, or are these chappies getting shorter and shorter?_**

**_Maybe it's because of those lesser number of reviews…_**

**_Anywho…_**

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